From The Sky
by VirKatJol
Summary: Kahlan and Richard get unexpected guests when John and Aeryn get sucked into the midlands from a wormhole.
1. Chapter 1

Title: From the Sky

Author: virkatjol

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Richard and Kahlan get some unexpected visitors when John Crichton and Aeryn Sun crash into the Midlands.

Crossover: Legend of the Seeker / Farscape

Timeline: LOTS - After Tears. Farscape - After S4 episode Twice Shy. No knowledge of either series is really needed. much...

A/N: Written for Nanowrimo! I can't believe I finished it. HEE! This isn't officially BETA'd yet so all mistakes are my own.

DEDICATED TO: valhallalilly You bossed me to write even though you weren't there to hold my hand all the way through. Also I'm so proud of you for finishing your NANOWRIMO! 3333 I want to read it. Also to trochilidae17 You are a good nano-ing buddy! Thanks LOVEST!

**Chapter 1**:

The loud clatter against the ship's floor startled him from where he was working on the navigation system wiring. As he tried to sit upright he banged his head on the edge of Moya's casing.

"Frell!" John dropped his tools and rubbed his forehead. After all the times he'd been hit in the head he thought that it would build up some resistance to the pain, it didn't seem to work that way, unfortunately.

The kick against his ankle was unexpected but the voice that followed made him forget his pain.

"Crichton! I can't deal with him!"

Aeryn.

He smiled as he un wedged himself from the narrow opening in the wall.

"Who, baby?" He pushed himself up on his elbows when he was free and looked up at her. The scowl on her face made him chuckle. She was always so serious and his humor would sometimes cause a smile to flicker across her face before she quickly hid it.

"Rygel, he's impossible!"

"Well... he is Rygel, what were you expecting?"

"Someone to do their part and stop arguing! It's been four cycles together." Aeryn let her back fall against the wall and she slid down to sit beside him. His arms wrapped around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. His lips were warm against her forehead as he kissed her. For some reason he could always calm her, which was why she went searching for him instead of just jumping in a transport pod and flying away from everyone.

"Do you want my help with something? This navigation upgrade can wait, its all just experimental anyway."

"Rygel may or may not be eating the equipment needed to fix the solar generator. He claimed they were a delicacy in Hyneria…" She smiled a little at John's laughter. "I think that he's just hungry and we're out of the better food right now."

"I'm not volunteering to retrieve anything from one of his stomachs, just so we're clear on that."

Her leg moved and slung across his thighs as she swiftly straddled his lap. Aeryn wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her forehead against his, rubbing her nose along his cheek.

"Even if I ask nicely?"

"You don't know how to ask nicely." Her breath was tickling his lips and he could feel her flick her tongue out to moisten hers. It took enormous amounts of willpower not to kiss her. But having his hand inside Rygel was a huge, disgusting task and he wouldn't be swayed that easily. The little slug had fangs, lots of them.

Aeryn grinned and kissed the side of his mouth, licking at the corner before moving her lips to his ear.

"Isn't this nice?" Her hips rocked against him and she could feel just how willing he was becoming. One of her hands found his hair and raked through it while the other went southward to touch his ribs, lightly caressing along his side. Her mouth captured his ear lobe and sucked. "I think this is pretty nice."

"God, baby, this is more than nice…" He moaned and gripped her hips, stilling the movement. Her face came back to touch their noses again. Their panting breaths mingled and he pulled her tightly to him. "He's got sharp teeth."

"So do I." A demonstration was in order and she nibbled at his lower lip. She knew that he would cave soon his fingers were digging into her hips pulling her closer to him. She could feel them migrating towards her ass and she was calculating who's quarters were closer in her head.

"Disgusting."

The voice shattered her arousal and made her anger flare up.

"We're a little busy here, Fluffy." Crichton spoke before Aeryn could leap from her spot and attack the Dominar.

"Aren't you two supposed to be fixing something? I don't want to be stuck here forever, you know, I'd like to get home."

"Aren't WE supposed to be fixing something… why you…" John's arms were holding her against his chest so she couldn't maul the little monster.

"Sparky, it's really not a good time, maybe file a complaint with H.R. and they'll get back to you with a resolution."

"H.R., what in hazmana is that? I'm filing it with you."

"Do you want Aeryn to rip one of your stomachs out of your nose?" He saw the look of horror cross the Hynerian's face and smiled. "I'd suggest you hover out of here than, pronto, Einstein."

Rygel didn't waste time he flew along his way huffing his annoyance. Even he knew when Aeryn was being pushed too far.

John waited until he couldn't hear the humming of his floating throne and then turned to look at Aeryn.

"Why do you let him get to you?" He stroked her cheek with his palm and let her lean into the caress. "He means well, usually."

"He's a selfish, little slug who doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as the rest of us."

"How much do you think he can lift with those stubby arms?"

The look of amusement that traveled to John's eyes made her feel slightly less rage. His hand against her face calmed her and the way his eyes allowed her to drown in his gaze grounded her. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"I need to blow off some steam."

"I may be a little dense, playing the role of the dumb human and all, but I'm fairly certain that's what we were working on before the little guy interrupted us."

"Mmm, yes, but I'm talking some action and adrenaline."

"What are you trying to say here, Baby?" He pulled her mouth towards his and captured her lips. Their tongues joined in quickly and the kiss was deep and heated.

She pulled back and smiled before switching angles and going in to kiss him some more. Her mouth and tongue played over his, dancing over his teeth and gums, sucking on his bottom lip before breaking the contact again.

"Lets go fly."

"I'm worried that you're implying I wasn't sending you towards a nice trip to cloud nine."

She bit her bottom lip as her mouth spread in a huge smile that she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide. She loved this man for so many reasons, but the way he brought fun and humor to her life was something she never thought that she'd have. It wasn't something she knew she wanted or needed.

"I need the rush of tumbling through space before I enjoy the thrill of recreating with you."

He moaned and pulled her back down for a quick kiss.

"Not recreating, baby, making love." John helped her stand up before pushing himself off the floor. "Lets take the module out. I'll let you drive. I can sit behind you and help."

She nodded, grabbed his hand and dragged him to the hanger where his ship was located.

Creeping along the forest floor was something she was used to, but not an activity that she enjoyed. The area was stocked full of rabbits and they hadn't eaten a decent meal for what seemed like months. Kahlan was setting traps along the underside of bushes and hollow looking trees hoping that the next time she came along they would be filled with tasty bunnies.

Richard had shown her the quickest and most effective trap then he'd gone looking for vegetables and berries to go with the meat she was assigned to procure. He'd offered her the choice of which task she wanted. She smiled at his surprise when she chose to hunt.

She'd remembered how proud he was when Cara had learned and become proficient at taking down the game as they traveled. She wanted to learn a little about what his old life was about as well. So she'd asked to be shown the snare and given tips on where to place them.

The tying of the knot was the hardest to master but she seemed to catch on quickly enough. They'd practiced on her traps with sticks and after Richard was satisfied that she wouldn't return empty handed he pointed her in the direction of where he thought the rabbits were nesting and went on his merry way to find food to accompany the meat.

It hadn't been long that they'd been apart, only an hour or so and Kahlan missed him. They spent every waking hour in each others company and all night wrapped in each others arms. For some reason she didn't feel right when he wasn't near her. She just had to trap something then she could begin back towards camp.

They still stayed in the woods, even though the danger to them was far lower than when the banelings were roaming the Midlands they just felt safer and more relaxed in the familiar environment surrounded by the trees and the forest creatures.

Even though they'd sealed the rift and had saved the world of the living from the keeper and his minions they were still constantly on the road. They were helping villages restore order on their way back to Aydindril. It was a large undertaking from the place they were in in the old world when they headed home from the Pillars of Creation. She hadn't realized how far they'd traveled until they began the circuitous route back.

One important discussion hadn't been broached yet- the talk about where they were going to live. He was the Lord Rahl, whether he liked it or not, and she was the Mother Confessor. Both of them were needed by their people. They needed each other more. She couldn't imagine not living side by side with him. Talking about trivial things like favorite teas or the color of the sunset or how many times they'd fallen and skinned their knees as children. He was her constant and she needed him beside her while she ruled.

Richard felt the same, she knew that he did, but a solution on how they were going to not be ripped apart in the end had yet to make an appearance. She knew this dilemma was part of the reason he wanted to take their time and help as many people as they could on their journey home. They didn't want to be forced into making any hasty decisions.

The sexual tension between them was constantly increasing. He wanted to wait. She didn't know how much willpower that man possessed but it had to be mountains full. She was practically bursting with need for him. His honor dictated that they get married first. Married in Aydindril. Married before crowds of people, hordes of witnesses and every diplomat in the Midlands, Westland and D'Hara. He'd sent Zedd and Cara directly back to begin the planning.

This way they could spend time alone together. There was no terrible dangers anymore so Cara didn't object and since they knew that confession had no effect on him Zedd had no need to stay and attempt to keep them apart. It was ideal. No one to interrupt. No one to make snarky remarks. Everything would be ready for them to be wed when they arrived home as well, it was a great plan.

They were very much alone.

There were opportunities aplenty. But he wouldn't be swayed. He wanted to make love to her in her large bed after he made her his wife. She even tried to bring up that they had already been together. It never worked because she didn't remember it so he claimed that it didn't count.

Couldn't he understand how long she'd waited to have sex. Now she was going to get something more, love, not just the physical, but the emotional as well. He was torturing her with it.

"It will all be worth it in the end." He always said. She groaned in frustration at the thought.

She wanted him, desperately. She couldn't remember aching with need before. She practically quaked with it. He held her in his arms all night and she could feel the need in him as well. Somehow he resisted and it drove her insane.

Kahlan set the final trap and then settled by a large tree. She sighed and leaned her head against the rough bark. Just thinking about him had her aroused. She didn't think she would make it much longer without some sort of release. It might have to come from her own hands but at this point she'd take anything that she could get.

The sound of the first snare snapping jolted her from her haze. It was good, she didn't need to think any longer about Richard and orgasms. A shudder raked through her body at the thought of the two. She was going to have to convince him to just take her.

She stood up, abandoning her resting spot beside the tree and headed back on the path of the traps she'd set. The closest one was triggered but empty, she gathered the equipment and returned it to the pack. Kahlan hoped that it wouldn't be a sign of things to come.

The next snare produced more of the same. She was thinking so hard about getting Richard naked and inside her that she must have made some mistakes when setting the traps up. She growled in anger at her wandering mind and put that snare away as well.

Walking the short distance to the third snare she squealed with glee as she saw a nice, large rabbit hanging from it. She pulled a dagger from her boot and started to clean the animal. She cut open the belly and let the blood drain along with removing all the organs that weren't edible. She hung the carcass up high enough to keep it from a poaching animal and then went to check the fourth and final trap.

Luckily, it was also full with a fat bunny. Kahlan repeated the tasks to prepare it and after hanging it she headed back to the first kill.

The woods was silent as she meandered among the trees back the way she'd just come from. It was peaceful and lovely, the air was cool and the breeze was gentle. The smell of pine and fresh fauna assaulted her nostrils leaving her calm and happy. She was proud of herself, bringing home the meat. She knew Richard would beam that happy smile at her and kiss her. He would be proud of her for catching the game. A giddiness swept through her thinking about his lips against hers. The heat crept back into the pit of her stomach and the arousal she'd staunched earlier was back with a fierce longing.

The rabbit looked sufficiently drained so she took it down and tied it to her pack then headed back for the second one. She took it off the branch and attached it next to the other. Her mouth was watering thinking about the food that they would be eating tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The zipper on the front of her flight suit wasn't all the way up and the amount of cleavage that was visible was enticing him. He wanted to reach out, unzip the suit and take her to bed. He knew that until she got out into space and speed around in the module she'd be angry and frustrated.

John understood how Aeryn worked and she needed to find a different sort of release before they reached for it together. Her mind was so tuned to battle mode that it was hard for her to move passed things. Flying recklessly in space was one of the ways she'd discovered that made her feel moderately better. Taking him to bed afterwards seemed to cure all that still ailed her. He had no qualms with her methods but sometimes he longed to skip step one.

"Are you ready, John?" Her low voice lilted against his ears as he looked over at her. She was smirking at him, following his gaze right to the path between her breasts. "Those are for later. Lets get going, I need to fly."

"As long as later is a promise." He offered his hand to help her into the module before climbing in behind her.

He settled with her between his thighs, pulling her back against him more firmly. She ignored him and continued flicking the various switches and turning all the important knobs. Her hands moved with confidence. She was certain of the process of flight and he knew that made her feel braver afterward when she was less secure with love. Flight was something she'd been molded to do. Love was what she was taught could never be, should never be. He was sad for her but the fact that he was going to be the one to show her how wonderful it was to be in love made him enormously happy.

"You sure know your way around my module."

"It's so primitive." She smiled back at him. "This is similar to Peacekeeper technology about three hundred cycles ago. Humans can't be expected to be able to keep up with us."

"This human can keep up with you just fine." He reached around her waist and tugged at her zipper, slipping a hand under the fabric and cupping her breast through her clothing. "I'll prove it to you." He gave he a light squeeze and lowered his head to kiss at her neck.

"Stop trying to distract me." She pulled his hand out of her flight suit, kissed his palm and set it back at her waist. "Later you can prove your prowess to me, right now I want to get out of this place. I'm being nice and letting you come with. Don't make me regret it."

He kissed her neck and then laid back. She turned her head toward him and grinned. He thought that she uttered some words but her voice was too low and soft for him to understand.

"You ready?" His voice held a hint of anticipation. He loved flying with her, watching her handle the controls. The way she could caress the ship to do exactly what she wanted. It was like she spoke to it lovingly and it responded to her just like he did. The module gave her exactly what she wanted and as quickly as it could. Somehow she'd wrapped his hunk of metal and wires as tightly around her finger as she'd done to him.

At her nod they both pulled on their flight helmets. The needed to wear them until they adjusted to the pressure and air change from Moya to the modules system in space.

John pulled the glass down around them, sealing them into the ship. There was a sucking noise as the mechanisms made sure that none of the vacuum of space would enter the safety of their pod. He double checked Aeryn's helmet, rubbed her along the ribs and then braced for take off against his seat. The force always sent him flying backwards so he'd learned to be ready against the seat.

"Here we go." She flipped the final switch and sent the engine roaring to life. The nose of the module slowly rotated towards the opening docking bay. The blackness of space inviting them to go play. The twinkling stars pointing a thousand different destinations out, beckoning them to come explore this way and that.

She pushed on the stick and sent the module into overdrive. They whipped out of the runway into the ink of space. Moya quickly disappeared behind them as they flew. Crichton reached above them and switched the comms to a closed channel. One where they could talk and not get interrupted by everyone and their mother still on the ship. The last thing he needed was Rygel listening in and annoying Aeryn again.

"It's just us now, baby. Comms are silent to Moya."

"Good. We don't get enough time to ourselves. It's always something. Someone to rescue, a con to pul off, food to get… who knows what will be next." Aeryn reached for some more controls setting the shuttle to a comfortable cruising speed and turning on the navigation sensors for random space debris.

"So you have to kidnap me in my own module just to get me alone." John pulled his helmet off as he felt the air pressure around them stabilize. When his was secured in the compartment next to him he unclipped hers. He tugged it free of her head and placed it next to his in it's slot.

Aeryn shook her head, freeing her hair, letting it cascade down her shoulders.

"You were a very willing participant in this kidnapping. Which would hardly make it a kidnapping at all."

"Well you were very enticing in your methods." He leaned forward and swept her hair away from her neck. His lips moved along the column and up to her ear. "Always… enticing." He took her earlobe between his lips and tugged on it letting his mouth explore the soft skin along her hairline, behind her ear. His hands moved from her waist up her ribs drawing her closer to him.

"Where do you want to fly to, John?" Aeryn struggled to speak, her words were more of a moan then a distinguishable sentence.

"Anywhere you want to fly, baby, you can take us both to such great heights."

"Oh, I know I can." She picked up one of his hands with hers and placed it over her breast. "Hold on, we're going towards my star." She felt him gently kneed her through all the layers of her clothes and suit but it still felt amazing.

"Should I be holding with both hands?" As he spoke he cupped her other breast. He could see her hips rock and her shoulders came back and leaned harder against his chest.

"I can tell you are enjoying this trip already." The hardness against the middle of her back was a clue, she didn't know if they'd both be able to hold off until they returned to their quarters. It felt good to know that she effected him so quickly, so passionately. She could feel the way he loved her in the way his hands held her. The way he let her melt into him, she was so completely gone for him that if she wasn't already banished from the Peacekeepers these feelings were most certainly cause them to disown her. The ice that previously had provided a solid wall around her heart was wholly melted.

"I'd be enjoying it, you, us a lot more with less clothing and a comfortable bed…" His mouth opened and he suckled on her neck, stopping before he would leave a bruise, then licking the slight ache away. Her head tipped back and he connected his mouth to hers. Tongues were clashing with a fury of passion. Her hands were on his head and pulling him closer, impossibly close, their lips were barely able to move with the way she was drawing him him.

The bright flash surprised them both. They'd often set a course aimed at her star. Never before had there been a problem, never had the bright blue and white light of a wormhole interrupted their heated sessions.

John pulled back so hard and fast that he banged his head on the back of the module seat. He moaned in pain and rubbed the spot on his skull that made the impact.

"John!" She flew forward and retook control from the navigation system. "What do I do? John?"

"Aeryn… I can't… I don't know." He couldn't focus, his head throbbed, black dots were dancing in his vision. He blinked hard to try to drive them away. He needed to help her but he couldn't grasp onto his thoughts. It was a struggle to stay awake.

"It's sucking me in John!" She was pulling on the stick trying to yank the module away from the wormhole's gravity. They'd been taken unaware and so close to where it had formed that it seemed almost hopeless to attempt. "Crichton! Focus! If we go in can you get us back?" She glanced back and he was looking awful. The pain that was floating in his eyes made her panic more. She could see the bright red blood on the white skin of his neck.

"Try the reverse thrusters. Over there." He pointed to a big red switch on the side. But he knew it was already too late. The wormhole wanted them, it was taking them. He watched her flip on the reverse engine and for a micron it looked like it would work. They hovered and jerked backward. The progress was short lived as the wormhole grew hungrier and the gravity dragged them in.

"We're in, frell! What should I do?"

"Just fly, baby, just fly. Where ever we end up there will be another wormhole to get back, eventually. I'll find it, when I can think again."

They both murmured hopeful prayers as they tumbled through the space time continuum, just needing to end up a place where getting back wouldn't be an issue. Would they be lucky enough for that?

Richard's arms were full of root vegetables and he had a basket loaded with blackberries and strawberries hooked over his elbow. He knew how much Kahlan enjoyed the sweet red treats and the dark purple ones would go well with a rabbit. Blackberry sauce wasn't just delicious with pheasant.

The quiet that surrounded him made him feel more at peace then he'd been for a long time. They'd left Cara and Zedd behind about a week ago and it had been heaven. No constant snarking and complaining, no belly rumbling and whining for food. Just him and the woman he loved more than anything.

After they sealed the rift and saved the world, again, he'd wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and hold her forever. The reality that he couldn't be confessed had hit them both like a flock of gars. He'd been speechless. Her mouth had found his and for what seemed like hours they'd kissed. It must have only been a few minutes later when Cara cleared her throat to get their attention. Then she'd informed them that it would be dark soon, they needed to seek shelter. Cara muttered something about them getting a room before turning to leave.

It was then that Richard had made the decision. One that he regretted everyday since, but he was sure it was the right thing to do. The Seeker was so very good at being right- doing the right thing, heading the right direction. For once he should have let them be a little wrong. His honor wouldn't allow it.

Her body had draped over him that first night, they'd all laid down surrounded by the warmth of the fire, damp with the salty, humid air of the sea drifting in the cave they'd found. Kahlan had been bolder then he'd ever experienced. She'd waited for him to settle in and then sat down next to him. He could see that she was nervous and he opened his arms. The smile that lit up her face as she fell against him had made the day into perfection.

The cool touch of her fingers under his shirt had surprised him and he jumped. She'd asked if he was alright and that's when he spoke the words that sealed their agonizing doom.

"We should wait." He groaned just recalling what he'd done. Her hand had stilled it's journey against the soft skin over his ribs. He saw the tear escape the corner of her eye before she was able to wipe it on the sleeve of her dress.

The thing with that sort of sentence is that you can't take it back. He didn't want to hurt her. He'd only wanted to make it that much more special. The bumbling way he explained it seemed to make the situation even worse.

"Why wait?" She'd asked.

"I want it to be perfection. Not on a hard ground in a nameless cave." The excuse even sounded weak to him, wherever she was made it perfect.

"But… you've had me before. Just not all of me…" Her voice was quieter and shakier. Another tear had formed and escaped from around her gorgeous blue eye. He hated being the cause of her pain.

"It wasn't right either. I wish I hadn't done that. It was desperation driving me. I regret it now." He'd stuck his foot in his mouth then. She looked like he'd kicked her favorite puppy.

"You regret being with me?" She was crying openly now and sat up. He knew that under normal circumstances she'd have been much more rational about the whole situation but earlier in the day she'd been in Con Dar, stabbed and killed him, had to race and drag him towards the pillars, then to find out that it was all over. Her body was shutting down emotionally. It wasn't the right time to broach any of this. He knew that if he hadn't they would have thrown away their first time. The frantic need would have made it rushed and he wanted her to remember it fondly instead of with pain.

"I regret that it wasn't all of you. It was just part of you and I don't only want the pieces. I'm greedy, Kahlan, I want it all. I need to show you how much I love you in a comfortable bed. Not rushed and frantic on the hard floor of a cave."

That seemed to improve her mood, a small smile had crinkled her cheeks and her eyes lost the sad look they'd had moments before. Richard felt slightly better. There was one other reason he wanted to wait. He wanted to marry her first. It should be official, he wanted her to carry no shame in their relationship, even if it was minimal. She was in a position of great power and influence. He knew that if they were in her home he'd never be allowed alone with her until they were wed. He'd also heard her hinting at how quickly confessors could conceive and he wanted to make sure they were wed in case she became pregnant.

He wanted to ask her when the time was right. But this would be as good as any. Richard sat upright and pulled her with him. Their knees were overlapping they were sitting so closely. He could feel the soft puff of her breath on his face and the firelight illuminated her face making her glow a lovely shade of pinkish orange. He reached into the inside pocket of his vest. The small metal circlet had been there for months. He'd been anticipating this moment and he never thought it would be preceded by her tears and him refusing to lay with her, for now anyway.

"Kahlan." She'd nodded slightly and he leaned in to kiss her. Her lips were far to red and full to resist. It was a short kiss, barely beginning before he ended it. She'd been caught off guard by it and her mouth was open and he could tell her heart beat had risen. She was so responsive, why had he decided that they needed to wait again? His train of thought was lost for a minute so he started again.

"Kahlan. You're everything to me. The only woman I will ever love." This time she leaned in and kissed him. He let her lead them along for half a minute before pushing her back far enough so he could speak to her while looking her in the eyes. "We love each other more than some of the most powerful magic in all the world."

"It's unbelievable, Richard, I never even let myself hope it would come to be."

He reached for her face and cupped her cheek. There was a constant desire to touch her and he indulged in it for the moment.

"I know, I always had enough hope for the both of us. Magic has never been able to dictate my life. I'm glad that I'm still one up on it." His other hand picked up her left hand, placed her fingers against his palm and then squeezed them. Her knuckles were to his lips and he was kissing them before he could think about what he was doing. "I love you, more than magic. Will you marry me?"

"Richard, I…"

He was nervous now, watching as she looked around the room at a the sleeping figures of Cara and Zedd. Why was she hesitating?

"Kahlan?"

"I was just checking if they were asleep first." The smile that she only used for him lit up her face then she spoke. "I will. I'd love to be your wife."

It felt surreal, slipping the silver circlet onto her left ring finger. They both stared at is for a long time. He swept his thumb across the metal which had already become warm from her body heat.

"It looks good on you. A perfect fit." She looked up at him and nodded. He could see the tears swimming in her eyes. Happy tears now.

He tackled her to the ground, pressing her body against the cave floor with his. Her legs wrapped around his waist and allowed him to settle between them. The position was erotic and he felt himself responding. His lips grazed hers as her nails dug into his scalp and pulled his mouth closer to hers. Her tongue plunged between his lips and he gladly opened for her.

"We have to stop, Kahlan." He whispered the words against her mouth when she broke the kiss to draw breath. He heard her growl in protest and her fingernails scraped against the sensitive skin on the back of his neck attempting to pull him back in to her.

"Make love to me. Please, Richard!"

Her hips rolled up against him, he could feel her heat against his groin. It took every bit of willpower he possessed to remove himself from her body.

"I want us to wait." He kissed her forehead and laid down next to her, pulling her back into his chest. He grabbed her hand and intwined their fingers. "It's going to be our first time together and I want you to be comfortable and I want to take my time with you. In your bed, as your husband." He heard the sigh and knew that she understood and was resigned to his decision, for now, anyway.

That night was wonderful. Richard recalled how rested he'd felt in the morning when he'd awoken with her in his arms still. Now that happened every morning. He couldn't imagine sleeping without holding her all night anymore.

He shook himself out of his thoughts. He'd wandered almost all the way back to camp remembering that night. They'd helped a half dozen people already on their journey back to Aydindril. They were planning to camp around here for a few nights to take a break. It was a fairly secluded area. There was too much timber for farmland and the nearest towns were a few leagues out. He hoped they'd just have a few nights alone to relax and then they would set off again. The town of Syrella was the next stop on their trip. They were a small community that mined a lot of copper. Darken Rahl had devastated them for their resources and Richard was looking forward to aiding them.

The loud popping noise over head made him stop in his tracks an search the sky for the source of the sound. He'd never heard anything like it. The blue swirl appeared and then was instantly gone. He'd never seen anything like it before. There was something else that was strange about the sky. Something was moving up there.

"Kahlan!" He took off at a run towards the camp. He needed to know where she was. Whatever was in the sky looked like it was heading straight for where their camp was. "Kahlan! KAHLAN!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"John! John please stay with me!" Aeryn pulled and yanked on the stick, praying she could navigate the wormhole without killing them. The twists and turns were making her feel dizzy and she was worried sick about Crichton's head.

"You're…" He sucked in a deep gulp of air and moaned. God his head hurt. "Doing great, baby, doing great." He tried to keep his eyes open but the flashing blue and white of the wormhole was making his head pound harder. He must have hit the edge of the seat just right, or wrong, as the case may be, to do a real number on his skull. He'd been hit in the back of the head plenty of the times before and it had never hurt like this.

"When it splits which way should I fly?" She'd never felt this kind of panic flying before. Her ability in a spacecraft, plane, module, and anything and everything that soared through air and space was something she never doubted. Her emotions were now interfering with her common sense and natural talent. "You've ruined my life John Crichton."

"I know." He tried to smile through the pain. He was using every ounce of strength to hold on to consciousness. "Go which ever way feels right. I trust you, baby."

"I love you. Here we go!" She pulled hard to the right the next time they passed a split. The module careened down, spinning left then right. She growled at the steering and used every last bit of her energy to keep it centered. The path seemed to go on and on, but then another path appeared to the left and it looked like a planet was at the end. Was that Earth? She made a quick decision and tugged the module toward the exit. They dropped hard into that path and then just as quickly popped free of the wormhole. A loud banging sound followed them. Then it was gone. The wormhole was closed. There wasn't any evidence left of it's existence.

"Well done, Aeryn… Well…" He passed out, the blackness invaded his mind and the pain took over. He couldn't hold out any longer now that they were out of the wormhole.

"Don't you do this to me, John! Dammit! Frell you, wake up!" She had to look at his head. She angled the plane toward the planet looking for a spot that looked fairly uninhabited. She enabled the emergency landing system and aimed for a grove of trees. It appeared that the nearest towns were fairly distant from that particular spot, perfect!

She could hear some painful moans coming from him whenever they hit a rough patch of air. She whispered an apology to him about the rough landing and went to setting the module down as safely as possible. She was concentrating so hard on flipping the right levers and repositioning the proper switches that the beep took her by surprise.

"Great! Just perfect!" She punched the fuel gage with her fist. "We have no idea where we are and you decide to run out of gas? Only John's ship would do this to us…" Aeryn was banking tight and pulling hard on the breaks. She had to get them down now. The trees were coming fast and a woman in a white dress was suddenly there. She was staring at her! Why wasn't she moving? Aeryn yanked with all her strength to the right and watched as a man leapt from between the trees to toss the woman out of her way. It was too late to pull out of the crooked drop however and the plane jolted as they met the earth.

John was knocked out of his unconscious state for a micron when they collided with the planet.

"Christ, Aeryn, my ship! Damn, my head!" Was all he could mumble before being lost to the dark abyss of his coma.

"Good of you to emerge from sleep to comment on my flying." Aeryn was able to stop the ship before it was slammed into a rather large tree. "Hope I didn't do too much damage." She flipped the analyzer on and checked the outside atmosphere, making sure that it was breathable for the two of them before releasing the hatch. When the light flipped to green she let the seal hiss open and threw the clear roof up and out of her way.

She reached for the first aid kit and went to straddle John in the back seat. It was cramped but she didn't care about her lack of space, only that she had to check his head. She pulled him forward to lean against her breasts. There was quite a bit of blood, but being a head wound that was to be expected. She gently probed at his skull. Her fingers expertly searched through his dark brown hair for the source of the bleeding. She felt him flinch against her before the warm, sticky blood touched her fingers. The wound didn't feel that large and the bone underneath felt normal and intact. Both were good signs. She pulled a compression bandage from the kit and placed it against the torn skin. Then she wrapped it securely with the roll of gauze. When she knew it wouldn't move she taped the gauze off and put the extras away.

It was then that she noticed the two people she'd almost crashed into. They were standing right outside the ship weapons drawn. Unfortunately, it was primitive weapons, the man had a sword and the woman was holding to daggers.

"Great, just great, I pick the tunnel that leads us to the land of no technology. We are never going to get back to Moya. The puzzled looks that crossed their faces told her that they didn't possess translator microbes either. Which wasn't that surprising since even the Human's didn't have those and they were more advanced then this world. She switched over to english, she knew enough to struggle through a conversation.

"Hi. My name is Aeryn Sun." That language seemed to be more familiar to them. They looked like there was a possibility that they would understand. She decided to continue. "I'm not going to try to hurt you. I need to get him out of here. He's hurt."

She watched the couple glance at each other checking to see what the other one thought. They seemed to be quite in synch. The woman nodded and both of them sheathed their weapons. The man reached his hand up and she pulled him up to help her lift John out of the module.

"Thanks." Aeryn smiled at him and lifted his legs out while the man pulled him by the shoulders. They eased him to the ground and Aeryn knelt behind him letting his head rest on her lap. She pulled out two syringes and looked at the couple. How could she get them to take the translator microbes? "This makes it so we can understand each other. Very safe for all species." She hoped that was true.

They looked like they could comprehend what she was saying.

Kahlan looked at Aeryn's eyes, the woman appeared to be telling the truth. She didn't know if her ability to see that was at compromised by her being from another world, but she felt like she didn't want to harm either of them, despite almost killing her while landing that thing.

"Richard, I don't know about this." Kahlan grabbed his arm and pulled him a little ways from where the other couple was resting on the forest floor. "We could react badly, the second language she used was fairly close to ours…"

"I think we should do it." Richard was full of conviction as he spoke. He couldn't sense any danger from the aliens. Usually he was a fairly good judge of character.

"I doubt she really knows if it will effect us adversely. She could kill us with good intentions." Kahlan glanced over at the woman and saw her stroking the mans hair, trying to sooth the ache that was in his head as she waited for her and Richard to make a choice. "I can't lose you, Richard. It's a big risk."

"Well lets pray to the Spirits that it works. I think we need to do it. They could be allies in our mission to help people. We need to get that man to a healer and quickly. He is looking paler by the minute."

Aeryn looked on as they discussed it intensely. She tried to keep johns head cushioned while she waited. His breathing was too shallow and she knew he needed something to help take the swelling off his brain. A healer of some sort had to be available, everyone culture had healers. Just when she was going to become impatient the man came over and presented his arm. The woman in white glared at her while she pushed the needle into him and inserted the microbes. She watched him flinch and then talked to him in her native Sebacean language.

"I'm Aeryn Sun, this is John Crichton. I'm afraid we might be stuck here for awhile."

"Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell. Whatever you injected me with is some powerful magic." Richard smiled at Kahlan and nodded for her to present her arm to Aeryn for a dose of the little miracles. She chewed at her bottom lip and then walked forward and gave Aeryn her arm. She flinched at the poke but soon it was over.

"You guys sure know how to make an entrance." Kahlan shot her a strained smile.

"Believe me, you don't know the half of it." She watched the reaction on Kahlan's face as she understood her now as she spoke in her native language.

"This is amazing. I studied languages for most of my life in my training to be a Confessor and all I needed was a little pin prick and an injection of that stuff."

"They are translator microbes. They form a colony at the base of your brain stem and help you to understand all languages." Aeryn's lips turned up in a sincere smile, happy to have this couple on her side already. They just felt good. "I'm afraid he's getting worse. Do you have a healer nearby? Someone with some herbs to remove the swelling from his skull?"

Richard spoke up first. "I know just the thing. There are some Elfin roots right around these parts, just mix them with hot water and seechin weed and you have an anti-inflammatory."

Kahlan helped Aeryn move John to where they'd already set up camp. The man was heavy but together they had little trouble hauling him the short distance. She set about tending the fire, bringing the blaze up to a high heat. The pot was sitting next to it waiting to start the stew. Dinner would have to wait until after they'd brewed the elixir for him.

She watched as Aeryn ran back to their transportation and came back with supplies. A shiny, metallic blanket that she placed over him intrigued Kahlan.

"What is that?" She set the pot of water on the hook to boil and started to skin the rabbit while she waited for Richard to return with the ingredients for the potion.

"It's a thermal blanket. It will help keep him warm to prevent shock."

"It's so thin though."

"The color and material make it help lock in heat and it's thin so it's easy to store in places that haven't got much room to spare for a full size first aid kit."

Kahlan hoped she could spend a lot of time with these people they had so much knowledge and new perspectives were always interesting.

"Are you two married?" Kahlan's hand went to her mouth covering it in surprise. She never pried like that. She'd already felt so at ease with her that she was asking personal questions. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business…"

"No it's fine." Aeryn was glad she thought that they were. She wished that they had exchanged vows already but there hadn't been time and she was sure that he still didn't trust her completely with his heart again yet. "We aren't."

Kahlan just nodded noticing the hint of sadness that appeared in the other woman's eyes.

"Richard and I aren't married either…" Kahlan was about to explain but Richard picked that moment to reappear.

"Not yet we aren't, we will be though. Soon." He looked at his fiancée and smirked. "Kahlan can't wait to marry me." The fist that jarred the side of his arm made him laugh. "What? I could tell her what you really can't wait to do to me."

She could feel herself turning a deep shade of crimson. He was right, of course, but to have it spoken aloud, in front of strangers, it was embarrassing her.

"Sex." Aeryn spoke in a factual manner. "I can't blame you, he looks like a nice specimen." She didn't know that it was possible for the woman to turn redder but her statement seemed to cause her face to burn. "No need to be ashamed. Sex is fun. You shouldn't wait. John and I try to participate often to prevent ourselves from tearing each other apart."

"Oh, Spirits!" Kahlan got up from the pot and went to lean against a tree. One that wasn't in the heat of the campfire. Her face felt like the flames had leapt onto her cheeks and she was fueling the boil on the water in the pot.

"She always like that?" Aeryn asked Richard, smiling like she knew what she'd done.

"She doesn't want to wait. I do." Richard winked at Aeryn and went about crushing the Elfin root and seechin weed with a smooth stone he'd collected from the creek that ran nearby.

"You're a virgin." Aeryn was puzzled by the thought. A man a well defined and good looking wouldn't remain untouched for that long in peacekeeper realms. He'd have been a favorite toy to recreate with, in fact.

Richard chuckled and then glanced in Kahlan's direction. She was listening intently for his rebuttal to the statement.

"No. I'm not." He smiled at both women and continued. "I just want to make her mine completely before I show her how much I love her."

"I don't understand. Maybe it's lost in the translation. Sometimes that happens. John says things that make no sense all the time…"

"No, I don't think its the translation, I think it's the way I was raised." He saw her scowl slightly. "No offense intended. I was just taught from birth to have enormous amounts of respect for women. Especially the one that I love more than life. I can't breathe without knowing she's okay."

"Why waste time then?" She bent over and kissed John's forehead. "You never know when something will happen. If you don't grasp every micron like it's the last one you'll regret it later." She felt the tear slip from her eye and she wiped it away. "If he doesn't…"

Kahlan was back and had her arm around the other woman's shoulders. She shushed her and held her.

"He's going to be fine. Don't worry." She could feel her stiffen under her hands and wondered if she wasn't used to being so open with her feelings.

"I'm not used to being touched." She smiled at Kahlan as she withdrew her arms. "It's something I hadn't had until him."

"You're a bit like our friend Cara. I can see a lot of similarities."

"Great, I thought we were free of her sarcasm for awhile." Richard winked at her, making sure that she knew it wasn't meant as an insult. The moan from the man on the ground made them all start and then set to action.

The brew was complete and Richard poured it in a cup and handed it to Aeryn. Since John seemed to be somewhat aware she tipped him upright, with Kahlan's help, and leaned him against her chest. His head wasn't very stable so the confessor helped her hold him steady as she put the hot mixture to his mouth.

"Let it sit under his nose for a minute." Richard explained, "It will help wake him up a little. The smell is like a mild smelling salt solution. It will bring him to for a short time, enough for him to safely drink the elixir."

They all watched as his eyes fluttered and then opened just as Richard had predicted.

"Aeryn…" He mumbled her name barely able to form the word.

"Right here. I'm right here." The stress was evident in her voice, the tears she was holding back could be heard in her throat. Her voice had a tone that was even more deep and gravelly than normal.

"Hey, baby, nice digs you found us." The smile he tried to produce made him wince. His head pounded horribly. The ringing in his ears was making him dizzier.

"Drink this. It will make you feel better." She held the cup to his lips and he took a sip.

"I hope it makes me feel better than this tastes. If not I'm a goner for sure." He heard Aeryn choke out a sob trying to disguise it as a laugh. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm sure I'll be fine. Give me more of that stuff."

"He's looking better already, Richard." Kahlan observed John's eyes as he consumed the drink. She could see the intensity of the pain starting to retreat. "Does it have an anesthetic property in it as well?"

"Yes, not much, but with the level of his discomfort it's probably enough to make a noticeable difference." Richard went back to the fire and started cooking their dinner. He watched the women fuss over the other man. Kahlan was being very generous with her touch and he felt a coil of something in his stomach. How silly to be jealous of him. Kahlan loved him. She'd never do anything to hurt that trust. He just wanted her to run her hands over him. She would, happily, but he was the one who asked her to wait.

What if Aeryn was right? Was it wasteful not to take her immediately and make her his completely? Would it be something that he would live to regret someday? He still didn't think so. They were in so much danger for so long this quieter, more peaceful world was a welcome relief. Nothing, no one, was going to take her from him now.

The rabbits that Kahlan had trapped were nice and fat. The meat was juicy as he sliced it free of the bones. The water was ready, bubbling at a steady boil now. He dropped the meat in and stirred it. His pack was still over by John so he got up and retrieved it. The herbs he kept in it were perfect for stew. It was the easiest meal for them to prepare, especially for a larger group, so he made sure to stay well stocked on seasonings for it.

"How's the drinking coming along?" He checked on the progress while he was over there.

"He's almost got it all down." Aeryn reported with a grin. The worry lines around her eyes had all but gone and she looked relieved.

"Good. Dinner will be ready in no time." Richard moved back over to start preparing the vegetables.

"Do you need any help, Richard? I think Aeryn has John under control over here." Kahlan stood and walked over to him. She stirred the pot and kneeled down right beside him. Her arms and legs brushed his. She was so close she could hear his breathing increase tempo with her touch. She ran her hand down his arm until she reached where his hand had a potato grasped in it. Reaching underneath she clasped it in her hand had took it from him. She pulled the extra knife from the sheath at his waist.

Richard felt her lean into him and take his knife. After she had it she kept moving in until her lips were against her ear.

"You smell good." She inhaled his scent and placed a kiss behind his ear lobe. A shiver rippled through his body as her lips caressed the sensitive skin there. "Delicious." She pulled back with that and began peeling her potato as if nothing had happened.

"You're trying to kill me aren't you?" He shook his head and grabbed a carrot to slice, throwing the discs into the pot as he finished slicing each stick.

"No." She set down her knife, her potato peeled and sliced into the pot. She twisted her body around and raised one of her hands gripping his chin and pulling his head towards her. She leaned in, her face drawing closer to his. She hovered right above him, their lips brushing as she spoke. "I'm trying to get you to make love to me."

Before he could lean into her touch she left him. She was across the campfire before he even knew she was gone. The stifled moan that escaped his throat made her smirk at him. She was trying to kill him. He watched her hands sift through the small jars and pouches of spices. She was looking for the perfect combination. When they first began traveling together she hated cooking. He'd been teaching her about the subtle difference in flavor that each herb and spice made. She was a quick learner and was now even more effective then him at making their meals taste delicious.

"That's just mean, Kahlan." He saw her shrug and went back to finishing the vegetables. "Can you grab the blackberries?" She tossed him the pouch that he'd moved them to and he started to slice them into small pieces until he had a handful. "We'll add them right at the end so the meat flavor doesn't overpower them."

He glanced over at the other couple. John's eyes were closed and Aeryn was stroking his cheek. She'd sat down and laid his head on her thigh. One of his hands was cupping her knee the other seemed to be shoved under her thigh, treating it like it was his pillow. They were so comfortable touching each other.

Richard dreamed of the day it would be like that with Kahlan. He knew that she loved his touch, but she still held back, still unbelieving that she couldn't harm him. He knew she never would. It was another of the reasons that he wanted to wait. He'd never tell her that he could see that part of her. The part that she kept holding back from him. He knew that when he captured that small piece of her she would be all his. Then, no matter where they were, he would make her his.

The stew was bubbling nicely and he tossed the berries into it. Kahlan stirred them in as he dug the bowls and spoons from their bags.

"Are you hungry, Aeryn?"

She started to shake her head when she heard her stomach rumble.

"I guess I am. I wasn't thinking about it until you mentioned it." She reached for the bowl that Richard had walked over to her. "It smells like food. I haven't had real food in far too long. We've been out of anything but the cubes for weekens." She took a bite of the stew and hummed her delight.

The Seeker grinned and went to serve Kahlan, who'd sat down next to Aeryn, and then he fixed himself a bowl.

"This is good, Richard." Kahlan spooned it into her mouth quickly. She wanted to put together a poultice for John's head now that the bleeding had stopped.

"Slow down, I don't want you to choke on it. Enjoy it." He smiled at her and winked. "Nice and slow, Kahlan. Taste it." He saw the scowl at him when she realized that he was trying to be seductive.

"Two can play, huh? Well your frustration shows a lot easier than mine, just remember that Richard Rahl."

Aeryn chortled at her come back. "She's got a very valid point." Then she leaned over, closing most of the distance between herself and Kahlan. She looked at Richard as she whispered into her ear. "You'll break him, if you aren't careful. Just make sure you're ready for the consequences."

Kahlan worried her lower lip between her teeth. Was she truly ready for it? She thought that she was. She felt ready, very ready. She was constantly wet around him, her body was so needy for it, him, them to be one. She nodded at Aeryn.

"How will I know?" She hadn't had a woman to speak to about this. Cara wouldn't understand the love part. She understood the sex, but not the emotional bits that went with it.

"I'm probably not the best person to talk with this about… I wasn't in touch with my feelings until John."

"You're all I have. I just… I just don't want to let him down. I've never done… that before…" She looked away, embarrassed by her inexperience.

"Do you have something I can rest his head on? I'll walk with you to make the poultice. We can talk, in private."

"Yeah, I do and I'd be grateful to talk to you." Kahlan finished her food and then took Aeryn's bowl as well. She placed the dirty dishes in the pot to haul down to the creek to wash. The green blanket was pulled from her bag and she folded it nicely to make a good pillow for his head. She handed it to Aeryn who carefully transferred him to it while she extracted her thigh from his grasp. "Richard we're going to go do the dishes."

He nodded and smiled at her. He knew it was more than that, but he didn't mention it. He was happy for her to have someone to talk to and with the little he knew of Aeryn he was sure that she would be frank with Kahlan. The confidence that he observed in how she interacted with the man she loved made him feel that she could help Kahlan let go more with him.

"Have fun, don't fall in. I'll set up camp for the night." He saw that the sun had almost reached the horizon and added that they should bring a candle with them for the way home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The sunset was peaking through the trees as they walked towards the creek. They trod on in silence for a bit. Kahlan didn't want to have Richard over hear. She would speak with him about it later, but for now she needed to have this conversation in private. Despite the amount of time she'd spent with Cara she still didn't feel as comfortable speaking about her feelings with her as she suddenly did with someone she'd not even known a full day. The love she saw when Aeryn held John in her arms she knew that she'd understand what she felt for Richard. She knew that she'd be able to help her.

"You really love him, don't you?" Kahlan opened with a rhetorical question, one that she knew that Aeryn would answer.

"Yes." She smiled at her. She knew it was an ice breaker type that really didn't need an answer, but since they'd only just met and were about to have a fairly intimate conversation she figured that she would answer any questions she posed no matter how much her actions had already provided the answers. "I never expected it. I was trained not to look for it. It snuck up on us… well me. I think he knew almost immediately."

"They always seem to. Richard knew." Kahlan sighed and stopped Aeryn. "Before we go on I need to tell you something. It's about me, what I am…"

"I've known so many types of people and aliens, nothing will surprise me. I won't be afraid of you, if that's what worries you."

"I wouldn't blame you if you were. Most people in the Midlands are."

"So that's where we've landed? The Midlands?" She pondered the name, thinking if she'd ever heard it in legend or story and it didn't ring any bells. She must have dropped them in a very special, unknown wormhole. Great.

"The New world. Technically, not too far from the boundary to the Old World, right now we are in D'Hara. I'm from the Midlands and Richard is from Westland. Those two lands plus D'Hara form the New World. There used to be boundaries separating all 3 lands. They fell not long ago, however. War has ravaged the people and resources for far too long. Richard. He… He's put an end to it all. We are heading back to my home, Aydindril, and helping people put their lives back together on the way."

"You are lucky to have each other at the end of such a long war."

"Yes. At times it didn't look hopeful." Kahlan felt a tear drip down her cheek, remembering the time she'd killed him. It still hurt that her magic had taken so much of her control and she'd done that. "There are things that have happened that I'm not proud of, but he's stuck with me and I can't believe that I'm lucky enough to still have him with me."

"He loves you, a lot." Aeryn wanted to hug the other woman but she held back. Not comfortable herself with offering physical comfort just yet and she didn't think that Kahlan was ready for that type of action. She sensed that she needed to get something out first. "Tell me what you wanted to tell me."

"I'm what is called a Confessor."

"You're going to have to explain it to me, I've never heard of that before."

"The wizards many, many years ago created a line of women with the power to make men their slaves."

"This sounds pretty good so far." Aeryn chuckled but saw that Kahlan wasn't amused so she stopped and motioned for her to continue.

"Confessors were made the keepers of the law. The Mother Confessor is the highest authority in all the Midlands and she presides over the council. The other confessors are in charge of going from town to town and solving disputes and taking confessions."

"I can get behind a civilization that puts women in charge." Kahlan's smile made her feel that she'd said something right.

"I have the gift to tell if someone is lying to me just by looking into their eyes as they speak. If someone is convicted of a crime, usually a very violent crime they are confessed. I have a power that is always there. I've been trained since I was a girl to control it at all times. It's magic I was born with."

"What does it do, exactly?"

"I make the person I touch and release my power into fall completely in love with me. There first thought is how can they please me. If I confess someone and tell them to die, their heart obeys the command and fails to continue to beat."

"No wonder you are holding back from him."

"I'm not…" the look that Aeryn shot her stopped her from continuing.

"You can tell when people are lying. Well I can tell that you were just about to step into a lie yourself."

"When confessors reach… ecstasy… they can't hold onto the power and the man they are with is confessed."

"You don't want to take Richard, now I understand a little better."

"I can't… well I don't think I can… It's a long story, but I've confessed him while under the spell of my own magic at it's most powerful. It was turned against me and sent me into an ancient form of confession, the ConDar, or blood rage. My magic is more potent than I can control at times." She rubbed her hands over her eyes, drying the tears that had fallen remembering coming out of the ConDar that day and seeing him laying on the ground dead.

"Who's the Mother Confessor at the moment?" Aeryn was sharp, her mind made leaps in logic and she was more often than not, correct. She figured that Kahlan would be. She wanted to hear it though.

"I am."

"How many Confessors survived this war? You seem like someone that a tyrant would want to eliminate. An enemy that can make his armies fall completely in love with them and turn on their lord and master…"

"You're right, of course. There is only me and my sister left. Only two of us."

"You must breed then. Create more. Richard will make a good father for your children."

"What if I take him with my magic?" The panic in her voice made Aeryn step closer and place her hands on her shoulders.

"You won't. Believe in your love for him and his for you. I can see how much is between you. I bet the people that we've left on our ship called Moya can see it and they don't even know where to look."

Kahlan reached out and pulled her in for a hug. She felt her arms wrap around her and it felt good to get reassurance from someone. A person with an honest opinion and a view that wasn't as close as Zedd and Cara who already felt that they needed to get a room and get rid of the tension between them. having Aeryn take her fears seriously made her feel good and not silly for having fears.

"Shall we go do some dishes?" Kahlan pulled back and led the way to the creek.

"Don't tell Crichton when he wakes up that I was doing anything domestic, I don't want him to get ideas." Both of them chuckled and headed down the bank to the stream.

Kahlan couldn't wait for the next stage of their conversation. She wanted to gain insight into seducing Richard. She didn't want to wait and she knew that Aeryn would have advice on making sure she wouldn't have to. She seemed very sensual and in touch with her body and what it needed. She was open about sex and Kahlan needed to know things.

"Your secret is safe with me, don't worry."

Richard spread out his and Kahlan's bedrolls, right next to each other, as always. They used to try to sleep apart but as time went by they moved closer and closer together. Now they didn't try to resist the pull, he smiled thinking about how they didn't have to. There was no reason to hide it and he knew that her magic couldn't hurt him so he pulled her close every night and cuddled with her until morning.

When he was done with setting up for the night he went over to check on John. He looked like he was starting to wake up. He hoped that his headache had receded but he wasn't too optimistic about it being gone completely. The lump he saw on the back of his skull was quite large and he couldn't imagine that even with the special elixir the swelling would be gone already.

He kneeled down next to him and checked on the wrap. John's eyes blinked rapidly as he came into consciousness. Richard put his hand on his shoulder trying to let him know that someone was there and he wouldn't be afraid. The forest was getting darker rapidly as the sun set.

"Aeryn?" John tied to sit up but there was pressure that he couldn't find the strength to fight against. "Aeryn… Aeryn!" His voice was becoming panicky

"Hey, she's not here." Richard was trying to comfort him but he was struggling harder.

"Where is she? What have you done with her? Where am I?" John was getting more and more agitated.

"John, I'm Richard. You hit your head on the back of your flying machine when you came through some blueish white thing in the sky."

The mention of wormholes made him stop. He stopped moving and tried to think. His head ached and he pulled at the strings of his memories trying to untie the knots of his thoughts. He looked at the man that was holding him down he was familiar. Then it hit him. They'd left the ship and been sucked unexpectedly into that wormhole. He'd hit his head and Aeryn and this man and another woman had somehow extracted him from the module.

"Where's Aeryn?" He was concerned for her. He didn't want her to be hurt or lost in a place he had no idea how to navigate. The place was all unfamiliar and the culture a puzzle he'd yet to begin piecing together. He needed to know that she wasn't harmed. She was his everything.

"She went with Kahlan down to the stream to do dishes." The mention of the washing reminded him that John hadn't had any dinner. "Would you like to eat some stew? We set a bowl by the fire for you."

His stomach rolled, the thought of food didn't sound good quite yet. The bump to his head made him nauseous and he didn't think that throwing up on his caretaker would be anything close to customary.

"I don't think I'm ready for eating quite yet, maybe after I've been awake for awhile longer." John pushed on the other man so he could sit up.

The Seeker gladly moved out of the way and then put his arm behind him to help him rise. He pulled him around a little to prop him against a log.

"How's the head?"

"Pounding." He put his hand to the back of his head and felt around the injury, flinching when he encountered the lump and gash. The gauze still felt secure, Aeryn had done a good job tending to it.

"So." Richard looked around, seeing if the woods would provide any conversation ideas for a man that was sure to have a concussion. "How did you two get here?"

"It's complicated." John winced as he lowered his palm accidentally brushing the most sensitive part of the injury. "I don't know if the translator microbes will be able to help with some of the language, so I'll explain it in the most simple way that I can."

"Simple is good." It had been a long day and while Richard was used to talk about magic he wasn't sure that any of the terms that Crichton used would make any sense to him at all.

"Wormholes are like a tear in space and time. They form and allow you to travel into another part of the universe quickly. They cover more distance than I can describe in mere seconds instead of taking many years to get places."

"You travel this way a lot?"

"I try to avoid it like my aunt Martha after eating spicy food." The confused look on Richards face mad him chuckle much to the dismay of his head. He groaned and continued. "I have the knowledge to travel through them. Sometimes I can decide where I want to end up, if I've been there before. This time Aeryn and I were surprised by it's forming. I'd never seen one in the area we were flying in and I was…" How should he explain that he'd been too preoccupied with Aeryn's breasts that he wasn't paying any attention to the forming of the wormhole. "I was distracted."

"So distracted you missed a giant blue hole forming?" Richard wondered at his ability to respond quickly to danger if he'd been so surprised by something he seemed to know a fair bit about.

"It was a very powerful distraction." He looked up at the sky, pondering how much Aeryn would hurt him for going into any more detail. Then he shrugged his shoulders. In the situation they were in right now he wasn't worried about her harming him. She needed him just as much as he needed her. "I was trying to get her to turn the ship back to Moya so I could take her to bed."

Richard's cheeks blushed pink and he looked away. Of course. What else would occupy the man's thoughts. He's seen his woman and she was beautiful, they were clearly very much in love, what else would it have been.

"It's hard to keep them from distracting you." He knew that watching Kahlan was dangerous. He'd often thought that he'd been lucky in battle not being stabbed or sliced since he found himself staring at her when he shouldn't be.

"Love will do that to a man." He saw Richard nod his agreement. "They know it too. That is the worst part."

"I don't know about that. Kahlan knowing that I love her to distraction…" He thought about how she would feel if he was injured in a fight because he'd been too busy paying attention to her. "You're right. It is the worst part. It has the power to hurt them."

"I try to avoid that. Of course hurting Aeryn usually ends with me on the ground with a sore set of ribs or head."

"She's quite the warrior, at least what I've observed, until you fall. She was broken when you were bleeding in the back. It was heartbreaking to watch."

The two men sat in silence for a bit thinking about the women in their lives and how much it caused their decisions to change.

"She's a terrible influence too. You're probably going to regret letting her be alone with…" John struggled to remember the woman in white's name.

"Kahlan."

"Yes, thanks, Kahlan for so long." Crichton laughed heartily thinking about all the things that she could be telling the other woman. "If there is anything that she wants and you aren't giving her… Well lets just say you should be prepared to fold, buddy. Aeryn always gets what she wants. Sometimes I make her wait a little longer, but I can never refuse her."

He sat there for a minute. His eyes traveled along the trees that lined the camping area. The fire's flames flickering and dancing in the center. The light cast upon the bark and leaves playing with his eyes. He thought about what his words would mean for him. He didn't want to give in to her and yet it was what he wanted more than anything in the world.

John just watched him think. He could tell that what he'd told him frightened him slightly. He could see the impulse to run after her and rescue her from Aeryn's influence, but he'd held it in check. He could feel him vibrating with the need to jump up and get his fiancée. He almost felt sorry for the other man. He didn't know what he was truly afraid of.

"She's not so bad… ya know?" John put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She really does mean well. It's amazing how much she's changed since I first met her. She cares now." Richard turned and looked at him again. "About what happens to her, me and other people. She used to just function for the good of the Peacekeepers. Now she lives for us, for herself." A tear crept into the corner of his eye and he brushed it away. "God, I love that woman."

Richard didn't know what to say to him. He knew how he felt. He'd watched Cara go through a similar transformation and even Kahlan had experienced change to a lesser degree. The walls that she'd been taught to hold around her heart her whole life had been crumbled by him. She willingly let him see all of her now. She never hid away behind the ice that protected her heart and soul. It was like it was all melted away or at least she'd allowed him inside the protective palace.

"This is going to be a disaster for me…"

"What can possibly be that bad about them alone together chatting?" John was curious about the way these people thought. How they handled different situations interested him. He'd seen a wide variety of reactions to putting people or aliens in a corner.

"She's going to tell her to convince me to… I won't be able to stop her." Richard groaned and put his hands over his face.

"Convince you to what? It can't be that terrible, I mean, you're going to marry the woman."

"Convince me to make love to her." Richard knew his face was red. Why was he suddenly feeling so open with this stranger? Had he really just blurted that out with little coaxing? He glanced over at the other man. His eyes were sparkling with amusement and his mouth was gaping open and a smile had turned the corners upwards.

"Oh, man! That's all?" John laughed and then saw the look on Richard's face. Maybe it wasn't something that was good in their culture… He pulled himself in check. He wished that was the only thing that he'd been worried about with Aeryn. Sex between them was never the problem. Or was it always the problem? Until it became more than just sex perhaps. "Sorry, Richard, Is that a bad thing here? Where I come from it's one of the closest ways to show someone how much you love them."

"It's not that. I just…" Richard stood up and started pacing. He couldn't sit and talk about this. The nervous energy combined with his desire for Kahlan made it impossible for stillness. "I want it to be perfect. Perfect and beautiful and amazing for her."

"You love her?" John knew it was a silly question but Richard needed to see what he knew to be true.

"Yes. With everything I am."

"Then it will be."

"Simple as that?" Richard stopped and crouched down by the fire. He picked up the stick nearby and poked at the logs. Stirring the flames to new heights.

"Not always." John wished he knew more about them before trying to help with this kind of situation. He was pretty good at sticking his nose where it didn't belong. But Aeryn had planted the nose of his module right in the middle of a place they didn't belong. "Look I don't know. I know that with Aeryn and I it wasn't always perfect, but I wouldn't give a moment I've spent with her in my arms up."

"You think I'm being stupid? Wasting time?" Richard often felt the same. Every time she looked at him with the longing in her eyes he wanted to break the promise to himself and take her.

"I think you're being nobel. I think that you love her so much that you think you are doing what's best for her. I also think that you're scared."

"I've faced hundreds of men who wanted to kill me. There were creatures sent from the underworld by the Keeper himself wanting to taste my blood on their tongues, I slaughtered them without blinking an eye. I've plunged head first into the unknown to save this world, twice. And you think I'm afraid to take Kahlan to bed." Richard huffed with indignation, the idea was preposterous.

"Yeah, I think you are." John just looked at him watching as the wheels in his brain processed what he'd just said.

What if he was afraid? Richard didn't know what to make of it. Fortunately John continued to speak.

"You might be worried that she'll be disappointed or that she won't like everything you do to her. Maybe that you won't be enough for her?"

"I'm her first." His fingers made a fist, squeezing his nails against his palm. He shouldn't have said that. But he wanted help, he needed John to understand why this was so important for her. He told him briefly about confessors then. Richard explained how she'd never expected to find love that she would be able to hold onto with both hands. She never knew it was even a possibility for her kind. He told him of the heartbreaking journey that they'd been on. How they suffered for so long in silence until they'd been bursting and their feelings had just started to slip through. The stolen kisses the turned into longer sessions of kissing because it was safer. He poured out his heart to this stranger. It felt good.

"She seems like a strong woman." John knew that with Kahlan's past she had to be bursting to have him. he couldn't imagine going that many years and not getting to enjoy sex with someone he cared about.

"The strongest." Richard's grin was full of pride for her.

"You won't break her. Let her love you. Let her show you something that's only for you. Let her do it before it kills her holding it in. Don't let her become bitter about waiting."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"How old were you?" Kahlan was glad that night had darkened the area surrounding them so that Aeryn couldn't see her blushing furiously. She busied herself mixing the poultice while she waited for an answer.

"When I lost my virginity?" Aeryn knew that's what she wanted to know, but teasing the confessor was amusing her. "Fifteen cycles. It was a fit of rebellion. I was raised on a ship, trained as a soldier my whole life. Since birth I've known what I was to be. What I was supposed to be, anyway."

"Tell me?"

"It's not very exciting. I was angry that I'd been held back from fighter training. I was smaller still, I hit a growth spurt around seventeen cycles, they told me I couldn't fly yet. I've never liked hearing that I can't do something." Aeryn winked at Kahlan, not knowing if she could see it in the candle light.

"I've known you for less than a day and I've already figured that out…"

"Well, they didn't take my fit of rage very well. I was flung into the brig to await my discipline." She recalled that night, thinking on how to explain it all to Kahlan. "I wasn't alone in my cell. A boy, I think he was sixteen or so, was already hunched in the corner. His face was twisted with anger. I knew him from around the ship. We didn't interact much because he was in a different program, tech work I think. He scowled at me from his spot in the corner for about an arn before he finally spoke."

"What was his name?"

"I didn't ask."

"You… don't know…?"

"Peacekeepers are trained not to care. I didn't need to know. Not then." Aeryn couldn't imagine not calling out John's name when she reached climax now, she'd become so different. "He told me I was pretty. Asked why I was in there. I informed him that I was being held back unfairly and he made some sly remark about me being small for being on the fighter training rotation. This made me angry and I got up from my spot on one of the cots in there. I walked right over to him and went to slap him. I didn't know that it was what he wanted. He grabbed my wrist and tugged me to him. Then he kissed me."

Kahlan finished with the mixture for John's head. She scrubbed the dishes next as she listened to her story. She had a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know if she really wanted to hear how this had ended. She felt for her, she'd been trained not to care but she could see how much it hurt her, even in the weak light, to speak of this.

"Have you told John about this?"

She was surprised at the question. She hadn't even finished the telling and Kahlan was already concerned about it effecting her relationship with John.

"Not really. I don't like to talk about it much." She leaned back against the bank, propping herself on her elbows. She tried to make her position more open as if to tell her that it didn't matter. The past was the past. "He's never really asked me much about my previous lovers, except the one that really made a difference. This one was merely the first in a line of people that I used and used me."

She nodded at her, understanding what it was like to hold onto something painful. She'd been traveling for two years with the man she loved but thought that she could never have.

"I'll tell him… one day. When he's ready." Aeryn tilted her head asking if Kahlan wanted to hear more.

"Was it rape?" She didn't want to pry, but she had to know. Something in her needed to hear that she hadn't had to endure that. Although she instinctively knew that she could have. She just hoped that she hadn't had to deal with that. Not in the environment she'd grown up in.

"No." She shook her head rapidly. Denying that word. "I was willing. I wasn't ready, I know that now, but I was willing. I gave my body to him. It wasn't pleasurable. I learned about that a few years later. It just… was."

"You enjoy it now?"

Aeryn fell back to the earth and laughed.

"Oh yes, very much. Especially with John. He loves me and he knows how to please me in every way. Fast, impossibly slow, with his hands and mouth and…" she looked at Kahlan and raised her brows. "Oh it's so good. I'm ready just remembering the last time we had time to enjoy each other."

"Oh, Spirits…" Kahlan gulped trying to dislodge the lump that was in her throat. She'd never talked about this with anyone. She'd heard things, of course, from Cara and the older Confessors back when she was training, but this was the first time she'd asked anything. Cara sometimes made her feel silly for not knowing anything. The looks she would throw at her as if she was born yesterday.

"Kahlan, I want you to ask me whatever you'd like. I'm not very open, in general, but I think that you and I have a connection of some sort. It's strange, I've been all over the universe and met many kinds of beings and you're one of the first people I've ever felt close to. Maybe John has changed me so much that I've opened myself up to others."

The dishes were finished so she collected them together and set them in the bag she'd toted along. She wanted to know things. She didn't want to have to ask Richard. She knew that he'd answer anything she asked, as best he could, and not judge her. Sometimes you just needed to talk to another woman though. She contemplated suggesting that they head back to the men, but what if this was her only opportunity for something like this? She wanted Richard in every way. She didn't want to wait until they returned to Aydindril. Aeryn could help her.

"How can I convince him not to wait?"

"You just need to make it so he can't. Can you wear a little less? That white dress is nice, but maybe showing a little more skin would entice him."

"I've got anther dress, it's dark, i usually wear it for traveling but we just came from town today and I was dressed for confessions."

"Good. Skin always makes men want you more, especially if it's just peeks of it. It's like they need to see what's under it." Aeryn smiled thinking about John slipping his fingers under her leather and how much he liked to touch the exposed line of flesh on her stomach.

"I could just travel in my corset and skirt…"

"If you accidentally brush them while doing menial tasks, place a hand on his thigh or arm. Speak closely to him. Lead him on a merry chase. You have to make him want you more than he wants to wait." Aeryn stood and brushed the dirt off her pants. She picked up the pack and then offered Kahlan her hand to assist her to stand. Aeryn grabbed the bowl of paste poultice as well.

The two women walked back towards their men together. They talked about all the things that the men had in common their sweetness hidden under a tough exterior, the way they put the group before the individual and how much they seemed to enjoy being in love with them. Both of them had accepted that love wouldn't be apart of their lives in any real sense of the word and both women had been proven incorrect. Being wrong wasn't so bad, they decided, when the prize at the end was a loving significant other.

Kahlan stopped Aeryn a few feet from camp, she could hear the men talking and she put her finger to her lips, wanting to eavesdrop a bit, see what they were speaking about.

Richard heard them coming, then he didn't see them break through the trees. So they thought the were being sneaky, did they. Eavesdropping on them to hear if they were gossiping. Didn't she know that men didn't gossip. He'd teach her a lesson in manners. He winked at John and pointed to the woods making a cup around his ear with his other hand. He saw the smile of understanding.

"One time when we were in this small village called Caminiper Kahlan offered to help this small boy collect the morning eggs. She'd seen him crying as he left the cottage and being the compassionate person that she is she went over to see what was wrong. He informed her that his terribly, evil mother had sent him to get the eggs from the hens. Well what she didn't know was that the hens in that henhouse were possessed. They were like baneling chickens. Sent by the keeper to peck you to death if you try to steal their eggs. That's why the boy was crying. This kid was probably around six years old and he wasn't dumb. He saw the perfect opportunity to take advantage of Kahlan's generosity. Oh that kid should be on stage with the way he played at her heart strings. So she goes back to the henhouse with him and takes the basket. I've never heard a louder scream out of her then when she reached for the first egg. It wasn't pain, mostly just fear. She was being attacked by a flock of hens. Not just one, you went in there with a basket and the whole lot of them started going after you. I was almost in tears from laughter."

"Richard Rahl!" Kahlan charged out of the woods hands on her hips. "You promised never to tell that tale to another soul!"

"That's what you get for eavesdropping Ms. Amnell." He grinned widely at her and leapt from the ground. His arms wrapped about her waist and he tugged her to his chest. He kissed her nose, then her cheeks, then her lips. Lightly caressing them with his mouth. "It's poor manners to listen in on someone else's conversation young lady."

"I should know better than to try to sneak up on a woods guide." She hugged him back and connected their mouths again. This time they lingered longer letting the kiss go on despite the audience. His mouth opened and she accepted the invitation. Their tongues caressed each other in a slow, sensual rhythm. Minutes passed as their mouths made love. She could feel him hardening against her belly and that's when she pulled away.

Always leave them wanting more, Aeryn's voice echoed in her head. Never let him be the one to end the contact eventually he will be so on edge that he won't let her end it and she'd get exactly what she wanted. All of him.

"He's awake." Kahlan observed. Aeryn had already settled in by his side, her arms were hugging him to her and she was laying with her head against his chest.

"Yeah he was slightly disoriented when he came to but it didn't take him long to remember what had happened. I think that by morning he'll be better with that poultice you two prepared" Richard had experienced enough head wounds to know that even though you had a headache for a few days the second day seemed a lot easier to function.

He returned to his spot next to Crichton and picked up the paste that Aeryn had set next to him. Carefully, he unwrapped his head and applied the medicine. It was sloppy but it would pull out any infection and keep the wound clean. When it was coated thoroughly he wrapped it again with fresh bandages. He was far too experienced at wound treatment for his liking. There had been too many injuries over the years.

"Did you men have a good conversation? Aeryn and I got on really well." Kahlan leaned her forehead against his and rubbed her nose to his in an eskimo kiss.

"Mmm, yeah, he's a very nice guy. We became fast friends. Both of us are involved with remarkable women. It's a good starting point for a relationship." She pecked him on the lips before freeing herself from his embrace.

"I'm beat, Richard, I think I'll turn in for the night. Are you going to come to bed, or stay up a bit longer?"

"I just want to make sure that these two have enough supplies for the night then I'll be there." At her nod he watched her shuffle over to their place on the ground and then settle in for the night. He walked over to John and Aeryn and crouched next to them. "Do you two need anything?"

"No, I think we're ok. I've got an extra blanket in the module. I'm about to walk over and get it." Aeryn stood from her spot wrapped around her lover.

"I'll come with you. It's dark and I wouldn't want you to get lost out there." Richard saw her hesitate wanting to appear strong and self sufficient but then she glanced at John and sighed.

"Lead the way." She motioned her hand in the direction of the module. He gladly took the lead, navigating these woods was what he'd done his whole life. He knew how to do it effortlessly light or dark, rain or shine. "Always a hero wherever I end up, someone takes up the role." She heard him chuckle and smiled.

"Well it would be bad for my reputation if you got lost and it got out that you were with the Seeker."

They hear John chuckle and wave at them as they hit the edge of the camp.

"By all means, we wouldn't want to have to stop that kind of bad publicity. Take care of her Richard, for the three microns it will take to get to the ship and back." He was in much better spirits since the throbbing in his head had decreased and Aeryn had returned safe and sound. She'd immediately tumbled into his arms and that had soothed any worry he'd still been harboring in the back of his mind. He knew rationally it was silly but seeing her alive and well made him breath easier.

John watched the two of them leave and he looked over at Kahlan. She seemed to be settled in. The white dress she'd been wearing was now laying beside her folded, he hadn't even noticed her removing it. Her eyes were closed but he didn't think that she was asleep yet.

"Did she tell you things that will help you convince that poor man to stop being nobel to a fault?" He saw the smile on her mouth even through the faint light from the fire. Her white teeth were bright against the dim light and gave her away.

"Mmhmm. She was most helpful. She said that she was able to keep you hanging on her every word for months before she finally gave in."

He barked out a laugh.

"I don't know if it happened quite like that but I was smitten with her almost instantly and I knew I was in love with her not long after that. She took time though. Aeryn, she takes time. When you haven't grown up knowing love it's hard to recognize it."

"I can relate."

"Richard mentioned something along those lines."

"I knew of love, I understood some of it. Sisterly love, motherly love and for a short time the love of ones father. But the love between a man and a woman. That I never knew would be possible. The fact that it is, for me anyway, now. It's frightening and exciting and I'm afraid the anticipation will be better than the actual act." Kahlan stopped herself. Why was she just speaking all her feelings suddenly to these people?

"You're similar to her. I can see how Richard was in love at first sight."

"It went both ways, I just tried desperately to stop it, then to hide it. Unsuccessfully." Kahlan's eyes had opened for their chat but they were drooping shut and a yawn escaped her mouth.

"I'll let you sleep, Kahlan. Thanks for helping us."

"It's what we do. Thanks to you as well. Having people, friends, who understand our situation is nice." With that she drifted into sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Aeryn ended up leading the way, which was fine by Richard. He let her take the charge of something, it seemed to be what she needed. A way to grab control of a situation. He just didn't want her to get lost, the module wasn't far but the woods became confusing at night.

"You're so dead, Richard." Her voice was amused and he swore she might have giggled at the end.

"I was afraid of that. But I'm not going to give in so easily." Richard knew now that holding off making love to Kahlan would be even more torturous, but until it became impossible he was going to wait.

"You should just save yourself the agony and take her."

"What right now? With you two inches away?"

"We could do with some good entertainment…" Aeryn looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. They both laughed as they came up on the spaceship. She climbed into the cockpit and tossed a few things to the ground. Her pack was stuffed way back and she had to reach for it. Her fingers finally touched the leather and she pulled it free. They had some extra clothes and supplies in there in case they were stranded on a planet. Like now. She looped the bag over her shoulder then climbed down. Before they left she pulled he canopy down. She didn't want it to become damaged if bad weather came through.

Hopping down, she went to pick up the supplies she'd tossed only to find that Richard was already carrying them.

"I'm a step ahead." Richard was happy to be able to help. It's what he specialized in after all.

"Thanks. Lets get back." She took the lead again wanting to prove that she could navigate a forest just as well as the next guy. Just because she was foreign and a woman didn't make her inept. She was thinking about how silly it was for him to accompany her when she heard him clear his throat. She turned and he was standing by a large tree with a gigantic smile on his face. His thumb was pointing to the left.

"This way." He held in his laughter as she glared at him and walked back. "You still want to lead?"

"Shut up." She waved her arm telling him to get moving before she hit him for being right. He laughed then and moved swiftly back through the trees. She flashed a smile thinking about John reacting similarly except he'd have cracked a joke about her having a Hynerian's sense of direction or something.

"I've been a woods guide most of my life. It's what I'm good at." He tried to explain. He didn't want her to feel stupid.

"Well I bet I could navigate circles around you in space."

"I'm sure that you could." He pulled the branch back, opening the view to the campsite. "And here we are." She ducked under it and made her way back towards John.

Richard stopped by the fire to add enough wood to get them through the night with sufficient heat. He stirred at the hot coals and sent a group of sparks into the night air. Kahlan was asleep he saw with a spot behind her saved for him. He couldn't wait to slip under the blanket and warp his arm around her. He spooned her against him every night they slept much more soundly with the added warmth.

He looked on as Aeryn helped settle John in. She repositioned him so he was laying down making sure that his bandaged head received no more damage. When he was comfortable she removed her leather vest, which left her in a curious looking bit of fabric that covered only her breasts. He couldn't help but notice how fit she was.

She climbed in beside him and settled her head against his chest. He could see John's hand rub along her back and he leaned his head down and kissed her forehead. They whispered goodnight to each other and closed their eyes. Richard smiled at how simple it was. The routine seemed to be the same no matter where you were from. There was a universal need to be held and loved and it made him feel that they really weren't so alone.

The yawn snuck up on him and he stretched before walking over to Kahlan. She looked so content in sleep. He laid the sword down next to her daggers and then slipped in beside her. She instinctively snuggled into his chest and he heard her murmur his name in sleep. He kissed the back of her head an told her that he loved her before closing his eyes and letting sleep take over.

Sentia was lost. He had been wandering around the same area for days. He never should have stolen from that man in Fernan. He hadn't known that he was the head councilman until he was being chased by a hoard of soldiers straight out of the town. Luckily he was nothing if not fast. He'd been running since he was a child. First from the family dog, then from his mother, his father and soon the town constable. He'd been labeled a no good thief his whole life. He was proud of it. He took every opportunity to increase his skill.

When he stumbled upon the four people sleeping in the middle of nowhere he almost cackled in delight. How easy would it be to strip them of all their belongings? They all looked like they were trapped in a deep, restful sleep. He was surprised that no one was assigned a watch, they must have figured that they weren't in any danger as far as they were from the nearest village. Sentia sent a prayer of thanks to the Spirits and then started to tip toe into their camp.

The years of stealing had made him stealthy. He walked silently along inching closer and closer to their possessions. The glint of silver caught his eye. The firelight had sparkled off something near one of the couples. Anything that was made of silver would bring plenty of coin at his next stop, if he ever figured out where he was.

The object that caught his attention was a sword. It had a familiar look to it, but he could't quite place it. He creeped closer to it and picked it up. The hilt was solid with a gold and silver inlaid pattern. He went to pull it free of the scabbard to inspect it more closely.

"I'd put that down if I was you."

The female voice startled him. It was from behind him and he slowly turned to look. The woman wasn't wearing anything he was familiar with. Tight black pants and a black fabric that barely covered her. She was pointing some strange, black weapon at him. It didn't even look sharp. How was that going to hurt him.

"Why don't you just go back to sleep before I have to hurt you." Sentia turned back to inspecting the prize.

"I said to put it down."

The cold metal was pressed to his temple now and he could feel her breath against his ear.

"I said to mind your own business." His elbow was sharp and he aimed well. He jabbed her in the gut and surprised her.

Aeryn grunted in pain. He didn't seem afraid of her pulse pistol at all. Strangely enough she wasn't surprised. She straightened up and pulled the trigger. A shot of yellow light flew into the air and streaked right passed his head. She didn't miss. She hadn't wanted to hit him. Killing people when there might be a way to preserve life upset her now.

"I suggest you do as the lady asks and hand me my sword."

"Your sword?" Sentia laughed and seated the weapon back into it's sheath. "Not anymore." His fist aimed for Richard's chin.

Before Richard could grasp his fist the thief was falling to the dirt and Kahlan's hand was at his throat as she pinned him to the earth.

"Do you know what I am?" Kahlan spoke through gritted teeth. Her anger towards thieves and hoodlums was amplified when they directed their misdeeds at the man she loved.

"A woman. A woman who is messing with the wrong man." He knew he'd made a terrible mistake as her eyes began to swirl with black magic. His hand gripped the hilt of the sword trying to draw it free and stop her from completing her task.

He had no idea that it was already too late.

"A confessor." Kahlan let go of her power. The magic surged through her veins and time stopped.

The horror in the mans eyes soon would be turned black and replaced with love. She felt as it left her hand and entered his pours. The thunder without sound reverberated around the campsite. His eyes swirled with the inky black magic as it absorbed into his body and his soul became hers. Then it was done. She sat back on her heels and let him up. He quickly got on his knees and bowed before her.

"Forgive me confessor! Please! I know not what I do."

She couldn't answer. Her mind was a dizzy mix of confusion and sleep. She didn't feel well. She hadn't felt this drained from a confession for a long time.

"Kahlan?" Richard pried his sword free of the thieves fingers. He could hear her breathing was erratic and heavy. Normally, she was up and ready again after confessing someone. Why wasn't she up? "Are you okay?"

He tossed the sword back towards the bedroll and then kneeled down beside her. He was next to her just as she lost consciousness and fell into his arms.

"Kahlan!"

Aeryn was beside him helping him move her back to the blankets. She felt her forehead with the back of her hand and found it cold and clammy.

"What's wrong with her? What was that?" She jumped up and grabbed the special blanket that had covered John earlier, when he was still in danger of shock, and pulled it over Kahlan.

"I don't know. This hasn't ever happened before. Even when she'd come out of ConDar… She confessed him…" Richard looked up at Aeryn and saw the slight fear enter her eyes after witnessing his fiancée's power. He was glad that Kahlan wasn't awake to see it. He knew it would hurt her. No matter how normal that sort of response was.

"My Mistress! I need to help her!" Sentia was crawling quickly over to them when Aeryn used the butt of her pistol to knock him out cold.

"That will shut him up for a while."

"What's wrong?" John had woken up during the commotion and was now working his way to his feet to see if he could help.

"You need to rest, Crichton! Do not get up and come over here!" Aeryn's voice held enough meaningful authority that he didn't dare keep trying. He settled for sitting up where he could see what was happening.

"I must have been dead to the world to not hear you guys until Aeryn hit that guy with her pulse pistol." He rubbed his eyes trying to get rid of the sleep that still lingered there. "What happened to her?"

"She confessed him." Richard nodded towards the unconscious thief. "She's sometimes weaker after a confession but I've never seen this happen to her before."

"What was different this time?" Always the scientist, despite his head wound, John knew that they had to start with what was known to find out what the unknown was.

"I don't know…" Richard thought back at what she'd done. She knocked his feet out from under him and then grasped his neck. After he made the mistake of not knowing what she was she confessed him. What had he done…

"It must have something to do with that man having magic?" Aeryn added. "If it's never happened before. Maybe he's got a quality to him that backfired against her power or something?"

"He was holding the sword!"

"The sword has magic?" John should be used to being surprised by new worlds but for some reason metal possessing some sort of spell made him reel. "Of course it does…"

"Yes. It's very powerful. He must have been trying to channel it when her magic took him." Her moan interrupted his thoughts. "Kahlan?"

"I…" Kahlan rolled over and moved clumsily off their bed. She felt terrible and knew she needed to get to the edge of the woods. her stomach was trying to rebel. Richard was trying to hold her to him. "Let go…" She clawed her way to the bushes and emptied the contents of her belly under them. "I don't feel well." She choked out the words before she felt the vomit rising in her throat again.

His hand was on her back rubbing and the other collected her long, dark locks in his hand and held them out of the way of her stomach contents. He was kissing her shoulder as she heaved again and again.

"Kahlan, baby, breathe." He was worried about her but at least she wasn't unconscious any longer. Something was very wrong with her, but she seemed to be getting passed it. The hand that was on her back was now around her and stroking her belly. He made a U shape from one side to the other trying to soothe her cramping stomach. He could feel the rippling contractions that raked her body. Now all that was coming out was a greenish bile.

"Here." Aeryn came over with a syringe full of something in her hand. "It's a muscle relaxant. It should help calm her stomach." She could hear Kahlan trying to suck in air between bouts of throwing up and she knew that the woman would faint shortly if something didn't stop her. Richard nodded and told Kahlan what she was going to give her. She grasped her arm and jabbed the needle into her bicep. The muscle there was strong and bulging and it took all the drugs readily.

They both watched as she slowly started to regain her breath. Her arms began to shake holding herself up and Richard moved his arm upwards bracing her against his chest. His forearm was between her breasts and his palm held steady on her collarbone.

"Better?" He kissed her neck and she nodded.

"I think I'm done now…"

"I think you're completely emptied by now." Aeryn provided helpful feedback as she reached down and grabbed her arm. She and Richard pulled her to her feet and then he scooped her into his arms and carried her back to bed.

"The sword… I can feel it's magic in me." Kahlan's hand reached for Richard's cheek, her fingers splayed across it. She still felt ill but the impulsive need to empty her stomach was abating. "It's similar to when I fought with it. But I can't control it… Richard… I need help."

He felt a rising panic at her distress and knew he had to calm himself down so he could help her. He kissed her forehead and stroked his hand through her hair. Letting the feel of her bring him to a state of calm.

"You need to focus on the pain that the rage is causing, Kahlan."

She closed her eyes and tried to find the source of the rage that was ravaging her body. It was all over, it felt like it was flowing through her veins. Her system was pumping it throughout her body and she couldn't catch it and stop it.

"I can't…" She panted as the effort to do as he asked ate away at her energy.

"You have to!" Richard yelled at her. His voice full of anger and fear. He saw the tears start to leak out the side of her eyes and he felt remorse at his rage. "I'm sorry, baby, try and concentrate. Trap the rage the next time it tries to pass. Set up a net and hold onto it."

"Close your eyes." Aeryn kneeled next to them and put her hand on Kahlan's head. She was burning up now a rapid change from the coldness of earlier. Her body had stopped fighting it and the magic was now taking over. "I'm going to help keep you cool. Subaceans are built at a lower temperature. By removing some of the heat from around your brain it will help you focus."

Kahlan felt better almost immediately after Aeryn's hand touched her head. She closed her eyes and concentrated again. She felt for the bits of anger that were flowing through her. She reached for it. It was so far and she was so tired. She could feel one of Richard's hands stroking her ribs, the puff of his breath against her cheek and his soft voice whispering words of encouragement. She extended her mental reach again and caught the edge of it.

It wasn't going to go easily. She moaned in pain as the bit of rage fought back. It burned and wiggled and she had only the edge. It was going to get away. Then a wave of cool rushed over her and she was able to clasp it all. She held fast and weaved a net. As the rest of the angry virus like rage flowed by she caught it. She could feel most of it clearing her blood stream. It felt like hours of waiting.

"I've got it all." She gasped. It was painful to hold onto the ball of rage and speak.

"Good." Richard felt the relief wash through him. "Now you need to get it out."

"Okay…. Aeryn needs to let go…" Kahlan knew only one way to remove magic from her, to push it out with her power. She connected the ball of rage to the string that held her power. She felt the burning return as Aeryn's hand left her forehead. A scream escaped her throat and she released her magic.

Richard took it willingly into his body, as if he had a choice. But he opened himself to receive the rage that was hooked onto the love. He felt the familiar anger enter him on the tail end of the embrace of her love. He smiled as her power whipped through him and then grabbed the ball of rage and sent it to the place that he locked away. The place in his mind that he held the rage at bay only releasing it in battle.

"Her fever is gone." Aeryn was examining her head again and found that the temperature was close to John's normal body heat.

"Thank you…" Kahlan croaked out before she slid into a deep, dreamless, sleep.

Aeryn nodded at them and headed back toward John. His brow was crinkled in concern for her. She'd taken a lot of heat from Kahlan he could see her sweating from it across the distance of the campsite.

"You okay, baby?" John opened his arms and she slid into them. She felt hot still. He was used to her cooler temperature and he hoped that she wasn't affected too much from helping Kahlan.

"Yeah. I'll be ok. I'm just a little warm right now." Aeryn felt the edges of Subacean Heat Delirium but it should go away with some rest. There was no reason for her body heat index to stay so high. "How's your head?"

"Hard as ever?" He chuckled at his own jab at himself. "It's better. I'm sure I'll be good as new in the morning."

"It is the morning." Aeryn pointed toward the horizon. The sky was beginning to lighten a hint of gray light overtaking the deep black of nighttime.

"Well then, with a few more hours of sleep." John held her as he slid back into their bed. He moved the blanket off and just pulled her body to cover his chest. She was warm enough to keep him warm and she needed to let the heat dissipate.

"Mmm, sleep. Yes that sounds good…" Aeryn drifted back into the embrace of slumber snuggled close to him. He'd put her far from the fire and the cooler air that breezed gently across her skin soothed the burn that permeated her. She was sure with some sleep she'd be better.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

He felt like he was on fire, at least half of him did. His head was still throbbing but it wasn't unbearable like before. The intense heat that was covering him, however, was very uncomfortable. He blinked his eyes open and reached his hand up to scrub them clean. When he tipped his head up to see what was burning him he started to worry. The only thing on him was Aeryn.

"Baby?" He shook her shoulder and she moaned at him. "Baby, wake up."

He sat straight up and fought the rush of dizziness from the change of altitude for his injured skull. Aeryn was burning up. He had to get her temperature down and fast.

"Richard! Kahlan!" He turned to look at the couple they were still sleeping soundly. He needed their help, he had no idea where the stream was that they went to the night before and that was the only thing he could think of that would decrease her temperature before the heat delirium took her from him. He struggled to his feet and walked slowly over to them.

He fell to his knees next to them, not trusting himself to be able to stay upright if he leaned over, and shook their shoulders while calling their names. Richard responded first and bolted up reaching for his weapon.

"It's just me, John, I need to get Aeryn to that creek. She'd dying!" Not waiting for Richard he somehow pulled himself to his feet again and walked as fast as he could over to her side. "Aeryn i need you to wake up."

She could hear him talking to her but the fire had taken over and she could feel the delirium attempting to overtake her.

"Remember your promise…" She huffed the words out as she tried to do as he asked and awaken from the state she was in. She felt four hands pulling on her, dragging her to her feet.

"I remember, Aeryn, I do. It won't come to that. You're going to be fine, baby."

Richard went to lift her into his arms.

"I'll do it, she's my responsibility…"

"You can barely stand. I'll carry her to the water, you can care for her there." Richard didn't waste time arguing he started to walk with her in his arms towards the cold water. She was a little lighter than Kahlan but the convulsing that had started to wrack her body was making the weight difference not matter for the ease of carrying. He tried to pin her to his chest as he made his way to the stream. He looked back to check that John was keeping up.

"Go Richard! I'll catch up, just get her in the water!" John yelled after him. Once they reached the trees it was easier to move. He was able to use the trunks to balance on and he tried to pick up a jog. That lasted a few strides before a root grabbed his toe and sent him tumbling to the forest floor. He moaned and picked himself off the ground. He could hear the water, he practically taste it.

His feet seemed to be obeying better then more he walked. The trip to the water seemed to be taking forever. The bubbling sound of the creek was getting louder and finally he broke free of the woods to find himself right on the bank. He saw Richard in the flow of water holding her in neck deep. He was relieved she was in there and hurried down the bank.

"How's she doing?" John pulled off his leather pants and boots before climbing into the water. He took hold of her body and Richard moved away and began splashing water onto her head.

"She cooled a lot when we got in, but she still feels too warm." Richard wasn't familiar with her species or what really constituted 'too warm' but he figured she would become more responsive when her core temperature was nearing where it was supposed to be.

"Hey baby, you're in the cold water. I'm going to dunk you for ten seconds, hold your breath on three okay?" He saw her nod and counted to three. He saw her suck in air and hold it then dunked her under. He held her there and counted to ten, loud enough so she could hear, then pulled her head back to the surface.

He gripped his shoulders with an arm and used the hand on the other to wipe away the excess water on her face. Her breathing seemed to calm a little and she opened her eyes.

"Better." She gasped out. The heat was starting to leave, but it was still at dangerous levels. "Again."

He counted to three and put her under the water. Counting to ten he pulled her free and removed the water so she could see again.

"I'm going to go back to camp and grab Kahlan and your first aid kit." Richard shouted over his shoulder as he was already racing back.

Kahlan was sitting up when he flew into camp.

"Aeryn's sick! She's in the stream with Crichton right now!" Richard told her all he could while gathering the first aid box. Kahlan grabbed a couple blankets, clothes and towels from their packs and then ran towards the water. Richard was close on her heels as they made their way towards the other couple.

They burst through the trees and almost tumbled down the bank as the ground practically fell out from under them. Kahlan unlaced her skirt and pulled her boots off before climbing into the water. Her body still felt warmer than it should be as well. She went to John's side and tried to pull Aeryn into her arms.

"I've got her!" He gripped her tighter to him.

"You're going to freeze to death. We don't need you sick again." Kahlan glared at him and reached for her again.

"I need to take care of her…"

"You can't do that if your dead." Kahlan held her hands out again. "You need to warm up then you can come back in. Okay?" She understood his need, but there were three of them to take turns. None of them had the tolerance or need for cold like Aeryn did. He looked at Aeryn again.

"Let her take me." She could see John's lips turning a shade of purple and knew that he wouldn't be well if he didn't warm up soon. He nodded at her then she was in Kahlan's slighter arms. She held tightly to her not wanting to chance getting swept away in the flow of the water.

"Richard hand me a cloth from the pile. John your special blanket is there too, use it." Kahlan was going to take charge of her recovery and make sure that no one else fell sick. "Aeryn, can you hear me?" She soaked the cloth in the stream and placed it against her forehead.

"Yes…" She was feeling better but she could tell that whatever was causing the heat delirium wasn't leaving her. The water was sending it into stasis but it was there.

"Do you have any ideas about how to help you?" Kahlan hoped that she would be able to offer suggestions.

"There should be an injection in our kit…" Aeryn drew in a few deep breaths trying to concentrate and remember what she needed. The heat delirium was affecting her memory. She needed to take control of it before it took control of her. "The one labeled Carmasium. It's the one I need."

She saw Richard and John riffling though the first aid kit reading every vial in there.

"While they look I'm going to dunk you again, okay?" At her nod Kahlan removed the cloth from her head and slung it on her shoulder. She counted to three and then left her under for ten seconds before resurfacing her.

"Where do we inject this, Aeryn?" Richard was back in the water with them. John was shaking from the cold still and he'd made him wait on the bank.

"Neck. In the vein if you can…" She tilted her head and exposed the large vein to him. Her eyes closed and she held her breath. She knew this would hurt but it was the only thing that could attack whatever was causing her overheating. Something in the mixture seemed to neutralize most causes of the disease.

Richard looked up at Kahlan and she tipped her chin at him, telling him to get on it.

"Alright." Richard smoothed the water off her long neck and set the needle next to her skin. The vein was bulging, he could practically see the blood racing through it, attacking her body with the heat it was carrying. He mentally counted to three and then plunged the needle into her neck. She scream surprised him but didn't distract him from pushing the plunger and giving her every last drop of the Carmasium.

The change was instant. As soon as he pulled the needle free of her her eyes opened and they were clearer and the pain was almost gone.

"Can we all stop getting sick now?" John asked from the side of the stream. "Kahlan you need to come out now, your lips are turning blue."

Richard looked at her and saw that John was right. He handed her the device he'd used to inject Aeryn and then took the other woman in his arms. They didn't want to remove her from the chilly water just yet. It was important that her temperature dropped completely first. John had explained how the heat delirium ravaged the bodies of Peacekeepers and how they didn't die but lived in a terrible coma like state. While they were on the bank sitting while Kahlan took care of her he told him of the promise he'd made to her years before about killing her before that happened.

He couldn't imagine having to ever end Kahlan's life. That sort of promise wasn't ever taken lightly. He knew that feeling of desperation and he didn't know if he would be able deal with the no hope ending that was in sight for John when he woke with her in that state.

When Kahlan climbed out he got a delicious view of her backside in the tiny black shorts. Her corset was wet on the bottom but that didn't seem to bother her. John wrapped her in one of the special blankets and sat her down next to him. He rubbed her shoulders to try to warm her more quickly. He thought that it was unfair that he was the only one with wet pants. However John's white briefs had left little to the imagination. He'd caught Kahlan's gaze as the man had climbed out of the water.

He was well endowed. Even with the chilled water it was visibly large. The man was clearly built to please a woman. Richard was glad that she seemed excited by the size since he was also not on the small side. Looking at the way John was touching her now was making him unreasonably jealous. He knew that there was no threat and yet he his belly dropped in irrational anger. He tamped it down and looked back to Aeryn.

"He's touching her isn't he?" She whispered to him.

"What?" Richard was surprised by the question. The honesty in it and her ability to know exactly what his face was saying.

"I know John. He won't do anything he's just very tactile." Aeryn smiled for the first time. She was feeling much better and seeing Richard worry over Kahlan being warmed by another man made her happy for Kahlan. She had a lot less work ahead of her than she knew. "Plus she loves you and he's in love with me."

"It's irrational, I know, but something inside me won't let it go. No matter who touches her I get a jealous feeling shooting to my stomach." Richard sighed and then looked down at her. He saw the the amused smile on her face and he tried the grin back. "Want to go under again?" She nodded and he did the dunking routine.

They let her soak for a few more minutes before dragging her to shore. Her arms and legs were still weak from the effects of the heat delirium. Richard carried her up the bank and Crichton and Kahlan gathered all their belongings and clothing and hauled it back to the campsite.

She felt so cold that Richard was worried about hypothermia, but she didn't seem concerned. She actually appeared to be comfortable for the first time in hours. He was shivering though and couldn't wait to dry off and sit by the fire for a bit.

Carefully he picked his steps through the trees not wanting to knock her head or feet on any of the branches on the path. When the campsite came into view again he saw what a mess they'd left in their rush to get her to the water. The place where he could lay her down was rumpled and dirt was spread on it. He waited until Kahlan broke through the bramble then asked her to straighten up Aeryn's bed.

She shook the bits of forest, dirt and pine needles off the blanket and then laid it down nicely. Before Richard could set her down she stopped him and put one of the shiny blankets over it.

"That way she won't have a damp sleeping spot later. This looks like any water will bead off it or dry very quickly." Kahlan spread it out and then tucked the edges around the bottom blanket. "Okay, it's ready." She backed away and let Richard place Aeryn gently on the bed. She straightened her legs as he lowered her down. Her back finally resting against the bedroll.

"Just keep her away from the fire for now. It's better to keep her core temp lower than normal until whatever was causing that is flushed from her system." John rambled into the clearing and made his way next to her. He stroked her hair from her face and pulled it from the pony tail. It had begun to knot and he knew she hated to brush through it when it was like that. He wrapped the towel that he held in his hands around the mass of black mane and helped wring it out. She needed to stay cool, not freeze. He'd brush it for her later when she was feeling better. Her leather pants needed to come off before they shrunk. She was starting to shiver a bit and he wanted her to be dry.

"Hey, baby, I'm going to take your pants off before we can't anymore."

"Always trying to get into my pants, even when I'm sick." She flashed a smile and continued to shake. His hands rubbed along her abs, slow, soothing circles.

He felt the goose bumps on her skin as he caressed her belly. She was so fit and hard and yet still womanly and soft. He knew that one day she'd hold a growing child in here not just the fetus in stasis like now. Their child. He lowered his head and kissed her stomach right beneath her belly button. His fingers reached for the button on the top of her pants and undid it.

Aeryn moaned at his mouth on her skin. The chill of her flesh made the heat of his lips feel like a delicious burn. He was very daring knowing they weren't alone but she didn't care, she loved his playfulness and wasn't ashamed of their relationship. His mouth trailed behind his hands as he unzipped the leather pants. She lifted her hips so he could tug them free. Feeling her underwear going with she used her own fingers to hold tight to it. She didn't want to expose herself to the other two.

She could see Kahlan out of the corner of her eye. She kept looking and then turning her head away, but like a moth to a flame she couldn't keep her eyes from them. She could see her mouth opened and her breasts heaved as she panted against her corset. The woman needed release, she needed it too. More than that even, she craved the connection. After John's head injury and her overheating scare they couldn't risk the activity, not just yet, but she still desired him desperately.

John watched as she held tight to her panties, the pants had tried to take them with but she'd been too swift and prevented it. She was wearing her favorite black variety and her skin was even paler than normal making it stand out even more. The white of her leg was slowly behind revealed as he worked the pants down her slender legs. Finally they were at a point with little resistance and he tugged them off fully.

"We could have sex." Aeryn smiled as she repeated the words that she'd used once before. His eyes were wide a Rygel's and it made her giggle. "Just not right now."

"You are a tease and a minx." John pulled the leather oil from their kits and doused her pants in it. Then spread them by the fire to help them dry. Then he crawled back over and laid on his side next to her. His fingers danced from her hip to the underside of her breast and back down.

"And you love me for it." She placed a palm on his cheek and pulled his face down to hers.

He completed closing the distance and kissed her. Her tongue was pressing against his lips and he opened for her. She was never one to wait on the kiss, she was all business from their first contact. Her mouth was chilled and it felt erotic against his heated tongue. The temperature difference was delighting his senses and he slid his body closer to hers. The fire warmed his back as her touch warmed his front. He was becoming a bit too excited. His manhood was hardening and he was still only in his Calvin's.

"You two need a room?" Richard was feeling the heat from their encounter and he was on the other side of camp.

John smiled against her lips and pulled back. He kissed her forehead and then rubbed his nose along the side of hers.

"You have one?" Crichton sat up and looked at Richard who was shaking his head in amusement. He could see how red he was even from the slight distance and knew that watching them had aroused him as well.

"If I did I'd have ushered you into it already. Or have used it myself…" He glanced at Kahlan who was still mesmerized by the other two.

"It would have gone to waste for us…" She didn't expect the emotion that followed that realization. He wouldn't be with her for months yet. How was she going to survive? Especially now with Aeryn and John's sensuality surrounding her all the time. The tears that fell surprised her and she looked up at Richard before wiping them away.

The Seeker reached for his Confessor but she threw her hands in the air and walked away.

"Kahlan…"

"Not now, Richard, not now." She scooped up her skirt and jacket and walked into the forest.

She felt like she was on fire. She hadn't realized how much watching the other couple kiss with such intent would cause her to burn for Richard to do that to her. She wanted his hands on her skin while they tongues dueled. The heat of his body pressing against hers, flesh to flesh. His hard sex begging her to let him enter. She wanted it all. She didn't know how much longer she could wait before she went insane with wanting.

She found a stump not far from camp, she didn't want to worry them, but she couldn't be around it. Not the physical affection, not when she couldn't have it as well. The stressful night followed by a hectic morning had strung her out emotionally.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Man, why you still standing here looking like she just kicked your puppy?" Crichton couldn't believe that guy. Aeryn runs off like that he's after her in point seven seconds. This guy just watches his woman go.

"She doesn't want me with her." Richard growled in frustration. He didn't know why he was making her wait anymore. Last night he could have lost her. He wouldn't have been able to taste her, feel her move beneath him, experience her pure passion if she hadn't been able to fight the sickness the sword had wrought.

Sentia picked this as the perfect time to wake up. Everyone had forgotten about him during all the excitement. He popped up and startled the three people in camp.

"Where is my mistress? I need my mistress!" He jumped to his feet and tried to walk to Richard to ask him specifically. He was still very unsteady on his feet but the burning desire to find his mistress and to please her drove him passed what he would normally be able to handle. He gripped Richard's shirt and pulled him closer. "Tell me where she is! I need to find my mistress!"

"Is he crazy?" He was getting on Aeryn's nerves with his begging for his mistress. "Do I need to knock him cold again?" She tried to sit up but John's hand pressed back on her shoulder stopping her from getting up.

"You won't be doing anything just yet."

"She's that way." Richard pointed sending him off into the woods after Kahlan. He was feeling petulant at her leaving him and he'd let her deal with the man who'd brought all the trouble upon them.

"Mistress! There you are!" He ran to Kahlan when he found her sitting on the rotting stump in the woods. He fell to his knees before her and kissed the edges of her dress.

"What's your name?" Kahlan had learned patience with the confessed men over the years. They couldn't help that they were propelled by overwhelming love for her. She knew how they felt now. She felt a powerful need to know where Richard was at all times and to do as he desired.

"Sentia, mistress." His head was still bowed and when she placed a hand upon his balding head he thought he'd die fro the joy of her touch.

"What is your occupation?"

"Oh mistress… I was a thief, I am so sorry! I stole many things from so many people. I'm a terrible man. I don't deserve your forgiveness." Sentia burst into body wracking sobs as he bent lower so his forehead touched her toes.

"Are you remorseful, Sentia?"

"I am. I am very eager to make things right. Tell me how to please you. I must please you."

"I want you to go to the next tow-"

"I can't leave you, my mistress, don't send me from you. I love you!" Kahlan stroked his shoulder and pulled him up from the ground, letting him look into her eyes. She'd found, over the years, that if she could make eye contact with the confessed they were easier to convince to leave her. She could calm them with her magic if she could look into their soul. The soul that belonged to her.

"You can. You will go." His eyes turned sad as her orders continued. She felt terrible sending them all away. Sometimes she felt it was better if they were killed in battle so she didn't have to tear them apart. "You'll find honest work and help as many people as you can rebuild from the war." He nodded almost imperceptibly. "Do you understand?"

"I do, mistress, I do." Tears slipped from his eyes, streaking his face as he stood on shaking legs.

"Go now. You're forgiven if you help people in need."

"I promise, I shall help them." Sentia walked away, back towards camp. He shot a look back at her when he was almost out of range and she waved him along with her hand and a smile on her face.

"Go do good, Sentia."

"Must do as she says, must please my mistress." He chanted it over and over as he walked back the way he'd come.

Aeryn noticed him return first.

"Hey, what are you doing back here?" He just ignored her and kept talking to himself. Making sure he kept on task as his mistress wanted. "I'm talking to you!"

Sentia stopped then and looked at Aeryn, but not really seeing her.

"Must do good. My Mistress has sent me away."

"Are you crying." She looked at John and then to Richard. "He's weeping!"

"Kahlan's sent him away. Probably off to help people." Richard knew how his fiancée worked and with men she'd confessed who lived she tried to encourage a life of service to others. Some were a lot harder than others to send away. He looked like he was one of the worst. Great… He'd caused her to go off alone and then sent the confessed man after her for her to deal with.

"Yes!" Sentia looked at Richard before walking into the woods on his way to the closest town, which was in the oppose direction of they way they were traveling. "My mistress has sent me away! Going to help people. Yes sent away, helping people…" His voice faded into the forest as he just repeated his words.

"Are they all like that?" Aeryn felt bad for Kahlan it must tear up her heart to do that all the time. She looked pointedly at Richard telling him to answer her.

"Not all. Most of them are killed in battle…" Richard didn't want to talk about this. It wasn't really his place, but he'd chased Kahlan away and the foreigners were curious. He knew how they felt. He remembered the first time he'd seen her confess someone. It had frightened him. "Some are worse than others. It seems like the more crimes they've committed when they are taken by her the worse off they are when they are sent away. Sometimes I think it would be less cruel for her to just kill them."

"I'd do that if I could bear killing someone that had already had their soul stolen." Kahlan hadn't expected them to be discussing her when she returned. She'd felt her heart sink when she heard Richard say that she should kill them. "Maybe you're right…. I should start just telling them that the only way to please me is to die. Would you like to stand by me after that? I'm already a monster that rips away their chance of any sort of future. I may as well command their hearts to stop beating for me. They would. I just need to utter the words that I wish them to die and they can do nothing but obey my wishes."

Her head was pounding from the stress and fatigue. She had wanted to apologize to Richard for being to emotional. She halfway had expected him to follow her, but instead he'd sent Sentia to get his orders. Maybe… No she knew he loved her and she loved him more than anything. Something was coming between them. Or the lack of something.

"I'm sorry… I know that you mean well, Richard. I just can't bear to kill them." He was next to her suddenly. His arms encircling her and pulling her against his chest. "I see too much death… too much."

"Shhhh, Kahlan, I know. I'm sorry for saying those things. I know you just want to preserve life." He held her to him kissing the top of her head. He was going to have to take the tension away. It was clear that waiting wasn't going to work. But he didn't want to take her in the woods. That wasn't acceptable. The next town they came to they'd get a nice room in an inn and there he'd join with her.

"I never thought of tears. She's totally going to get laid soon." John had laid down and was whispering into Aeryn's ear as he kept peeking over his shoulder at the other two.

"They will both be less tense." Aeryn tipped her head and captured his lips with hers again. "I wanna get laid too."

"You're still sick." He scolded her for even thinking about it. "We create too much heat together. You can't handle that right now." He kissed along her neck and down her shoulder. Her skin was returning to it's normal temperature. He could feel the extreme chill leaving and the cool surface felt good, it was her again. When she was burning up he'd been scared. He'd seen her in the grips of heat delirium a couple times but this was close to that virus she'd contracted when she had returned to him. He didn't like close calls where she was concerned.

"But you feel very ready to make me feel very good." She moved her thigh outwards and pressed against him. He was half hard still from earlier she hadn't given him time to cool off completely.

"I should go check on the module before you convince me to do something that you're not ready for." He laughed at her pout and got up. He reached for his pants and tugged them on. Then pulled his gray t-shirt over his head. He walked over to Richard and Kahlan to tell them where he was going.

"I should go with you." Richard looked down at Kahlan and kissed her forehead before pulling away. "You'll stay with her?" She nodded and leaned up to kiss his lips gently before walking over to sit next to Aeryn.

"I need to do a overall evaluation and then hope I can find something on this planet to manufacture into fuel." He let Richard take the lead, still unsure about the lay of the land.

They walked in silence the short distance to the spaceship. John cringed when he saw the dents from bouncing along trees and rocks while descending. He ran his palm along her hull thinking about everything that he'd been through with this ship. Every ding, dent, scrape and scratch had a memory that went with it. Overall it looked like it was flyable. One of the wings was a little bent but that wasn't anything he could fix with a few basic tools.

"I'm guessing that you don't have electricity?"

"I have no idea what that is, so you'd be correct." Richard just gave him a shrug. He'd never heard the word before and he didn't think that the translation was quite right. "Can I help?"

"Right now I need to make a list of what needs to be done. After that I need to decide where to try to make the repairs. I don't really want to leave her sitting in the woods like this…" John sighed trying to think about how they would even be able to transport it anywhere.

"We could send it to Aydindril by cart." He looked it over and thought about how much it must weigh and then reconsidered that plan. "If we had a cart that could hold it."

"All we need to do is fashion a way for the horses to pull it. I can make larger wheels to attach through the places that have the landing gears. That's not an issue, it's a bit of an inconvenience but not impossible. It will probably take a big team, eight horses, maybe?"

"Getting horses won't be an issue. I'm the Seeker, Kahlan is the Mother Confessor, people bend over backwards to get us anything we need." Richard walked to the other side and started gathering pine bows. "We should hide it though, we'll have to go to town to arrange everything."

John started to help him cover the module with the branches.

"How long will it take to get it to Aydindril?"

"The way they would take and the speed they could travel at... probably a day or two. How long to fashion the wheels to move it?"

"Just a couple hours if I have some metal and a forge, hammer and anvil." John knew he'd be able to do it pretty quickly if he had the aid of a blacksmith. He was used to making everything from scratch for that ship. Nothing in his universe seemed to fit it everything was customized on it now.

"You can work on that while Kahlan and I take care of making the arrangements. We should hurry and cover this and make our way there. We'll want to go to Repeffel that's the larger of the neighboring villages." He hurried and kept covering the ship. They worked together in silence and soon the ship looked like a large pile of tree branches.

"It doesn't look very hidden…" They both chuckled at it.

"No if you were looking at it you'd think 'Oh someone covered something that they don't want people to find.' then you'd go over and look. But if people are just passing close it will blend in and just look like a mound or hill with some downed branches on it." Richard knew that most of the people around didn't pay too close of attention to the woods only to the animals and people that passed through it.

"Alright lets got get the women." John started walking back towards camp with Richard right behind him.

"You feeling better?" Aeryn surprised Kahlan with her question. She was the one laying on the ground recovering from almost slipping into a heat induced living death and she was worried about her.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She sat on the log that was next to Aeryn and reached down to help her sit up against it.

"You almost died."

"So did you." Kahlan raised her eyebrows at her. "But yes I'm feeling almost good as new. There are some lingering things that just aren't right, but I can feel it fading slowly."

"I've been a lot closer to death than that… I did die once." She didn't know why she'd said it, she hated reliving that time in her life. Zhaan had given her a gift by bringing her back then she'd thrown her own life away. "It's not fun."

"I've lost Richard once to the underworld." She scooted down and sat on the ground to be level with the Peacekeeper. "I didn't know if I'd get him back. I couldn't even think about what I would do without him."

"We're both lucky. I'm waiting for the day our luck runs out."

"Richard always says,'a man who relies on luck better have a lot of it.' I know better than to rely on it, but it's nice to have a little bit now and again." Kahlan put the back of her hand against Aeryn's forehead checking her temperature. "You feel like you're normalizing."

"Yeah I feel pretty good. I should put some clothes back on." She stood and collected her pants from the area by the fire. They were dry enough but hot so she set them away while she found a clean shirt to put on.

"We'll probably be heading into town. There isn't anything we can do without supplies. We'll need horses and food before we head to Aydindril."

"Don't you and Richard have plans?"

"We did. But we can go home first, get married then go back and help people…" As she spoke the words she knew that they would never get that time. Once they were back in the city she'd be busy. They'd been without the true Mother Confessor for far too long. Her sister had been working to put things back to rights and to keep order, but she knew that her abilities were limited. They were all waiting for her return. Waiting for her to take a mate. They would be done waiting when she was back and she knew it was going to be impossible to slip free of the council and the palace again.

"You're giving up a lot to help us." Aeryn tried to understand the desire for a woman that she just met to sacrifice that much to help them. "I don't have to be a confessor to know that you just lied to me."

"At least I'll have Richard. He'll be bonded to me for life. Body and soul."

"He's not going to make it to Aydindril before binding his body with yours." There was an amused gleam to Aeryn's eyes as she spoke of their desire for each other. It was clear to anyone who saw them for a microt.

"I can only hope that a little of that luck rains upon me and you're right about that." Kahlan's smile was big and lovely as the men returned from the module.

"I'm going to have to keep you girls away from each other if she's putting that kind of smile on your face." Richard walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. "We have to go back to Aydindril."

"I thought as much." She put her hands on his cheeks and rubbed her thumbs along the bones. "Are you terribly disappointed?"

"No." He grabbed her hands and cupped them between his. "We're going to be married. I'd never feel anything but joy about that. The people will get help a different way. Instead of physical labor we'll help by changing laws and sitting through boring councils meetings."

She knew it wasn't what he planned for them, but she was overjoyed to be making their way to her home earlier.

"I've got most of this stuff packed up." John called from across the campsite.

"That was quick."

"I"m used to being on the run. You learn to pack fast when Scorpy is after you."

"Scorpy?" Kahlan and Richard said in unison.

"It's… It's a long story." He threw a look to Aeryn and she just smiled at him as she pulled on her pants. "You guys ready to head out? I have no idea how to get to this town."

"Yes." Kahlan stood and gathered the rest of her things, help Aeryn with hers and then swung her pack onto her back. "Okay, lets walk."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The town wasn't as far as Richard originally thought it would be. He was glad for that. Kahlan looked exhausted and she was used to trudging through the Midlands. The other two looked much worse. They weren't used to this planet's gravity and had both been through quite the ordeal. John had mentioned something about how the gravity worked in space, but he wasn't sure he really understood the words that were coming out of his mouth. He'd finally stopped him from trying to explain.

"Look!" He pointed down the ledge of the bluff they were walking next to. "There's Repeffel. We're almost there."

"Thank God! My head is killing me." John looked over at Aeryn and could tell that she was also relieved. She tried to put on a brave face but the heat delirium scare had taken a lot out of her. "You need some water, baby?" He handed her the skein that Kahlan had offered him have earlier.

"Thanks, sure." She took a long drink letting the luke warm water wet her throat. She was so used to the controlled environment of Moya that the drier air here was making her dehydrate slightly.

They walked mostly in silence none of them having enough breath for the constant chatter. They were all injured or recovering from injury except Richard, and he'd been hauling them around all day and into the night. The Wigmore Inn's swinging sign was a welcome sight, and each of them were picturing a soft bed and a warm bath. The days sweat and grim sticking to their skin and clothes.

"We'll only need two rooms, Richard." Kahlan grabbed his hand as they walked through the door.

"One for men and one for women." Richard tried to suppress the smile that was trying to creep up on his face. Her expression was priceless, part horror part disappointment. "Just kidding."

The whack across his shoulder was unexpected. If it had come from Kahlan he wouldn't have been as surprised but Aeryn's fist connecting with him wasn't something he had anticipated.

"Leave the poor woman alone. She's had a rough day." Aeryn winked at Kahlan and leaned down close to Richard's ear, speaking loud enough so the confessor could hear her as well, but no one else. "Give her what she wants. You'll both feel better."

Kahlan turned pink at her words. She wanted it, wanted him. He looked almost willing to give in. Before he turned away to talk to the innkeeper. She stood back with Aeryn and John as Richard was handed two keys.

"We're in luck! Only two rooms left, both with a private bath and a large comfy bed, the man assured me we'd be quite comfortable." He tossed one of the keys to John and the man caught it easily. "Shall we get settled in? It's almost dark we can meet in the tavern for dinner or just have it brought to our rooms."

"I think I just need to rest." Aeryn's voice wavered.

"If she's admitting she needs rest…" John cupped her elbow and ushered her up the stairs. "We'll see you two at breakfast?"

"Yes, then we can arrange all the supplies and the horses." Richard's key slipped into the first door and he unlocked it and held it open for Kahlan. "Goodnight."

John fitted the key in the lock a few doors down and walked in with a wave. Aeryn followed behind and shot Richard a big smile before closing and latching the door behind them.

Richard walked in and secured their door. Kahlan was already getting bath water ready. The small stove in the room was already bringing the first pot to a boil. She'd filled the basin a third with the water from the pump and was slowly adding the hot water to it.

"We could save water and bathe together…" His hands touched her shoulders, rubbing and massaging the ache away.

"You shouldn't say things that you don't mean." Kahlan poured another pitcher into the water. The room was nice, the bed looked comfortable and she was anxious about being alone with him.

"How do you know I don't mean it?" Richard took the pitcher from her and took over filling the tub. She walked across the room and unlaced her dress, letting it slip to the floor.

"You refuse to… until we are in Aydindril." Her hands were behind her now undoing the lacing of her corset.

"What if I've changed my mind?"

"You don't." The sadness was evident in her voice and she turned her back to him while she she pulled the corset off. Her skirt was next and the quickly fell clear of her body.

His hands startled her as they touched the soft skin of her belly. He'd slipped behind her and slid his arms around her. He drew circles with his palms on her stomach, his thumbs dipping under the tight, black shorts.

"I have." He nuzzled the hair on her neck out of the way and his mouth found her skin. The first taste of her flesh made him moan and he tightened his grip on her.

She placed her hands over his and hugged him closer to her. Leaning back she could feel his hard chest against her back. He had too many clothes on.

"You're sure?" She wanted this so much, but not if he wasn't ready. She needed him to be okay with his decision.

He didn't answer but a hand slipped up and cupped her breast. Lightly, he squeezed it. Her nipple tightened and poked against his palm. Her lower lip was between her teeth and she was worrying it trying not to call out. The skin of her neck and shoulders was crying out for him to kiss and lick it so he gave in and tasted her flesh while his hands caressed her belly and breast.

"I want to show you how much I love you, Kahlan. Be with you in every way. No doubts and no regrets." She turned in his arms then, her mouth against his. Her lips open and hot and wet as she devoured him. He was startled at first but quickly shook himself free of his surprise and began to give as good as he was getting.

She tugged at the tails of his shirt wanting to feel his glorious skin against hers. The hard muscled of his chest and arms were calling her name. She needed more. When she was desperate for oxygen she yanked his shirt off his body and threw it out of their way. The tan skin caught her eye and she just stared at him for a minute. She soaked in the feeling that he was hers. She was going to know him intimately soon. The feelings that rushed through her veins made her moan as she reached forward and let her fingertips graze over his nipples, enjoying the feel of them tightening under her ministrations. She traced the lines of his muscles down his chest to his abs. Panning out she stroked over his ribs and the followed the indentation that was made from his hips. The delicious lines that lead to paradise. She took the path to his belt buckle and begun undoing the rest of his layers.

Richard let her work at disrobing him. While she unlaced the flap of his breeches he toed off his boots. The sweet touch of her fingers had sent his erection to full mast. Soon she would find what she'd been begging for for weeks. Soon both of their dreams would be realized. He hoped that it was all worth it. The chill of the air tickled his skin as she pushed his trousers to the floor.

"That's going to fit inside me?" She hadn't realized how large he would be.

"It's going to fit. Don't worry. Hopefully it will feel really good." He was worried about her first time but he was going to try his damnedest to make it as good for her as possible. He had no doubt that he'd find it extremely pleasurable.

"Can I…" How did she ask?

"Touch it?" Richard almost came from her asking permission.

"Yeah…" Her voice was small and slightly embarrassed. She should know what she could and couldn't do. She hated asking. She wanted it to feel good for him. She was worried about doing something wrong.

"Whatever you want to do. Wherever you want to touch me. I'm all yours." He pulled her face close to his and rubbed his nose against hers. "Everything… anything you want. I want it too." Then he kissed her.

His lips, she knew his lips, they made her feel more confident as they slid across hers. She opened her mouth and his tongue dove in. He'd never kissed her like this. Now she knew he'd always been restrained, always holding back. She understood he didn't trust he would be able to quit her before. Now, now he didn't have to.

She'd had her hands on his hips and one of them slipped between them and her fingertips caressed his hardness. It was softer than she thought. It was warm, hot really, and it felt like velvet. His moans vibrated against her tongue as he kept kissing her. His hips bucked against her on their own volition as she palmed him, eclipsing her fingers around the hard shaft. It was like the hilt of one of her daggers. It felt like hard steel under soft skin. She was fascinated.

He let go of her cheeks, his hands craved more flesh. She was still wearing the shorts and he followed the lines and planes of her back down to her ass. He squeezed the round globes over her shorts before slipping both hands beneath them. How was she so soft everywhere? Only one more piece of cloth and they'd be naked. No more barriers between them, save one. He was planning on breaking through it as well, very soon. He wondered how ready she was. He pulled her even closer, squishing her hands and his cock between them, locked against their stomachs.

His hand extended further sweeping under the cheeks, between her thighs, until he felt the moisture. Spirits, she was slick already. He felt his erection twitch with a need to feel that moisture surrounding him. He pulled her shorts over her hips and she wiggled around till they joined her skirt on the wooden floor.

The desire to explore her body overwhelmed him for a second. He drew in a few deep breaths trying to calm his response. She was naked, in his arms, and he had to tap down the urge to thrust into her. Instead he pulled away. He wanted to see her.

"You're lovely." She stole all of his senses, just the sight of her high, pert breasts, flat, soft stomach, the dark vee of the her womanhood covered in curls, all of her made him weak. She was every enemies most powerful weapon. He'd do anything for her. He could see the glistening curls, wet with her essence. His mouth watered and he held out his hand, palm up, offering to assist her to the comfortable bed that was behind him.

"I'm not afraid." With those words she set her palm against his and his fingers curled around hers. She felt glued to the floor her eyes feasting on his body, but at the slight tug on her arm she found the will to move. Her feet carried her to the bed and she stopped in front of it, next to him. The bed was raised and he lifted her up and as she started to scoot backwards the hand on her thigh gave her pause.

Richard added a second hand to her other thigh and pressed them apart. Her legs spread willingly for him as he moved between them. He wanted his mouth on her. He wanted it everywhere, but he knew that he wouldn't last that long. Just looking at her was sending the blood flowing into his cock to levels he'd never felt. He didn't remember ever being so hard and he'd barely touched her.

He needed to make the most of the little control he had. He grabbed her neck and pulled her down to kiss him, only a quick, chaste peck, before he started his journey. From her mouth he followed her neck down to her clavicle. He nipped at the skin over the bone heading towards her shoulder. When he was halfway there he started to descend again. His first destination was right below. Soon he was kissing the smooth skin of the top of her breast. The tissue beneath his mouth was firm but pliant and he took his time sucking little bits of it while he moved down her body. Her nipple touched his chin and he moaned.

The roughness of his scruff against the hardened peak of her breast made her squeak. The sensation was almost painful. The flood of moisture between her legs told her it was extreme pleasure. Then his hot mouth was on her nipple and he was suckling her. The sweet pressure on her breast made her cry out his name and her hands flew to his hair. She griped the strands and pulled his mouth closer to her. She didn't want this feeling to end. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her hips rocked. The first contact of his erection on her sex made her arch harder. A happy accident that led to more pleasure. They were lined up nearly to perfection. The stiffness of his organ rubbed along the hard nub of her clit and she felt like she was strung up tighter than a ball of yarn. She felt her muscles clenching, gripping at nothingness. She needed him inside her.

He freed himself from her death grip and quickly kissed her neglected breast, he'd worship it another day. There was too much pent up frustration for him to dawdle there right now. He skipped over her ribs and his mouth rejoined her flesh at the swell below her belly button, right above where her curls began. He inhaled her scent and moaned.

"Lay back."

She almost refused, not wanting to take her eyes from him. She wanted to see what he was doing to her. But he just needed a little more room so she complied, letting herself lay back but propping her body on her elbows. His hands were rubbing up and down the insides of her thighs and with every stroke they seemed to part a little more.

She was intoxicating. He swallowed hard as the saliva gathered in his mouth. On the upstroke his hands stopped. His fingers slowly inched toward each other until they were at her slit. It was swollen and wet and he parted her. The nub at the top was hard and red, he thought he could see it throbbing with need. The wetness leaked from her opening and he couldn't wait any longer. His head descended, mouth open, tongue ready.

The first taste almost sent him over the edge. He had to reach between his own legs and clamp his fist around the base of his cock. He licked her from her tunnel to the tiny bud, slowly collecting all the juices that had gathered there. She was divine.

Her back arched and her hands clenched the quilt that was under her as he licked her. She wasn't going to last long. She'd made herself come a few times before but it had never felt this powerful. She could feel her magic gathering beneath her skin. It was bubbling right there, barely in her control, she'd never felt like this. She mumbled his name and her head fell back. The strength that she needed to hold herself up was waning. Everything in her power was being channeled to that place between her legs. The very spot that his tongue was now lapping delicately at. It wasn't enough. She needed more.

He could tell that the gentle licks from his tongue against her clit was just light enough to not send her flying. He was careful not to push her over the plateau too quickly. His body had settled enough and his second hand returned to hers. He removed his mouth and looked on as his pointer finger probed at her sheath. He watched as he slowly pressed the digit inside of her. Her hungry body clenching against him and pulling him deeper.

He was inside her. It was hot and wet, so very tight.

"More… please, I need more." Her words were desperate she wanted release.

He didn't reply with words he simply ducked his head back down and took her clit between his lips. She screamed his name when he started to suckle her. His finger continued moving in and out in a slow, steady rhythm. He could feel her trying to clamp around him and hold him deep within her. On the next retreat he added his middle finger.

The additional pressure was slightly uncomfortable for a second then it felt incredible. Her hips rolled forward as he pushed into her again and just at the right moment his tongue swiped over the head of her clit. Her magic burst forth and her body sang as the climax took her. She felt her eyes roll back into her head and she couldn't breath. The sweet caress of orgasm had made all her senses useless. The only thing she knew was that she was rippling over his fingers and his mouth kept the waves crashing over her. She wondered if she would die from the pleasure. Then it was waning. She could breath again and her eyes opened. Her hands were on her belly rubbing circles as her hips still undulated against him. Soon she would be coherent again.

The smile on her face hurt as she tipped her head to look down at him. His cheek was on her thigh and he was pulling his fingers free of her body. She felt incredible loss as they left her but she was distracted from the feeling when he placed them between his lips and cleaned off her juices.

"Don't make me wait ever again." He shook his head at her words. there would be no more waiting. He stood up and helped her scoot to the center of the mattress while he climbed up to join her.

She looked between them his erection was dark and the veins looked larger now. The head was glistening with fluid that she could see was leaking steadily from the opening at the tip. She automatically spread her legs for him and he settled against her. Her slick heat could be felt along his sex and he bit his lip to try to hold himself in check.

"Guide me in." At her confused expression he captured one of her hands and lead her to his cock. "Show me where you want me to be."

Kahlan used her free hand to touch his cheek. Her eyes held contact with his as she gripped him and moved him so the head was lined up with her opening. She gave a nod when he felt right and gasped as he pushed forward. There was a little pressure as the head entered her. She brought her hand out from between them and rubbed his back. Her legs opened more and that cause him to slip in a little more.

They never broke eye contact as he added more pressure and continued to slide in. Her sheath opened and accommodated his size. The amount of moisture made everything easy. Nothing was truly painful, it all felt right.

After what seemed like hours to Richard, but couldn't have been more than a few minutes, he was fully sheathed inside her.

"Tell me again, why did we wait?" He couldn't remember his reasons. All he could do was feel. He felt the wet warmth of her body surrounding him, the soft slide of her hand moving across his back, the stickiness that coated her thighs as they moved up to hold him inside her, the gentle heat of her gaze that was pouring endless amounts of love into his soul. This wasn't what he imagined at all. It was so much more than that.

"Someone is stubborn." She pulled him down for a kiss. She liked the feel of them connected. She wanted it to last forever. His mouth covered hers and his tongue picked up a tempo that his hips soon followed.

In and out.

In and out.

The rhythm increased and soon they had to stop kissing. Both of them were in desperate need for oxygen. The movement of their lower halves picked up and he was soon slamming into her. She could feel the ridge of his pelvis connecting with her clitoris and it felt like she could build to a second climax.

Every time he was inside her completely he felt her gripping him and eventually he didn't leave all the way. His strokes became more shallow and her muscles seemed to pull harder against him. They massaged his cock as he pushed into her and begged him not to retreat as he pulled back. He could feel the flutter around him and knew he could make her come again. He dipped his head and captured a nipple in his mouth. He suckled hard at it.

Spirits! His mouth added almost too much sensation. It was like she was hovering over the edge of a cliff but she couldn't fall. His hips were grinding into her harder on each stroke and she was almost there again. Then his teeth grazed the peak of her breast and she was gone again.

Her climax made him tumble right into his. There was no hope for him after she started to come around him. He felt his balls tighten to his body and spurt after spurt of his seed surged up his cock and was deposited deep within her. He hissed at the incredible feeling of each rope of cum leaving him. He loved that it was inside her, that they could be making a child right now.

He collapsed on top of her. His arms couldn't hold him up and he didn't want to leave her body yet. He was still hard and throbbing, tremors still surged through his erection. He could feel that he was empty but he was at the outer edge of an orgasm that seemed to go on forever.

She kissed his temple, his head resting beside her, his breath covering her shoulder in the soft pants as his heart rate slowed to a normal rate. She loved that he was still part of her and moved her legs up to lock around him not wanting him to leave her just yet.

"Thank you." She whispered in his ear.

"For what? I should be thanking you."

"For not waiting any longer. For loving me and for showing me how much." Kahlan's hands moved over his back and shoulders she had a compulsion to keep touching him.

"Waiting was the worst plan I've ever had and you don't have to thank me. You love me back, that's more than I deserve."

"No. No, you deserve so much more." He was about to interrupt her but she silenced him with a kiss. "But I'm glad that you're mine. I'm never giving you up, no matter what I feel you deserve."

"You better not because you're stuck with me. Forever."

He felt himself slip free of her, his hardness has dissipated and he rolled them over. They were on their sides facing each other. He stroked her cheek and she swung a leg across his hip. They didn't need any more words. Richard freed the blankets from under them and pulled them across their cooling bodies. Sleeping naked in each others arms would be something he wanted to get used to. Right now it was going to be an indulgence, but soon enough it would be every night.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"I'm too tired."

"I didn't say anything." John was already defending himself and they'd been alone together for less than a micron.

"You thought it. You looked at those two, knowing that they are going to be making love, and you wanted to follow suit. But I'm too tired." Aeryn took a turn around the room. It was simple a couple chairs, table, a nice looking bed and a separate room for bathing facilities and bathroom. She looked over at John, who was already stripping down to his Calvin's, and wished she wasn't exhausted. She'd been ready and willing to take him before the long walk to tone. There was always before breakfast.

She began to imitate John by stripping off her clothes.

"Now that's not fair." John's eyes were locked on her firm backside as she bent over to toss her panties onto the pile of their clothes.

"What's not fair?" She was constantly confused by his outbursts, oftentimes she let them go, rolling her eyes or just smiling and nodding but this time she had no where to turn the conversation to.

"You."

"Me? Crichton what are you on about?"

"You, standing there naked. Your skin looks delectable and smooth. Your dark hair is making your skin look that much paler, and it's making my hands itch to touch you." He didn't waste time waiting for her reply he covered the distance between them and placed his hands on her ass. He stroked her upwards towards her shoulders using his thumbs on the muscles surrounding her spine.

"It's not like you've never seen me without my clothes before." Aeryn shook her head and decided to just enjoy the attention. She wasn't going to give in though. She was going to wash up, climb in that bed and go to sleep.

"It's like the first time every time."

"Did you learn that line from Rygel? I bet he's used it to collect a couple wives along the way."

"I'm wounded, Aeryn!"

She laughed and turned around to kiss him. He moved in anticipating her mouth and she held her head back and waited.

"Did you hear it from Rygel? I don't know if I can kiss a mouth that repeats things that Hynerian slug says."

"Shut up." John picked her up against his chest and spun them around. The bed was right there so he walked toward it not letting her down. She was giggling and pretending to struggle. "You could have suggested Chiana, or D'Argo, but RYGEL? I am really, really hurt, baby."

Aeryn was pinned under him now, her back was cradled by the cushion of the mattress and she could feel his arousal pressing against her belly. She couldn't stop smiling. They were stuck in a crazy world of wizards and dragons, they had no fuel and may never get back to Moya but she didn't care beyond the fact that she was with him.

She ran her fingertips through his hair before yanking him down and demanding to be kissed. As usual, John was willing and he opened his mouth and their tongues sliding along each others as they kissed. He changed the angle to deepen the contact and felt her legs spread and cradle him against her. His hips rolled and hit the right spot eliciting a moan from her.

"I told you, I'm too tired."

"I know. I'm trying to convince you otherwise." He lowered his head to kiss her again but stopped when he was flipped over. Suddenly Aeryn was on top and he was slinking her way down his chest. "I thought that you were tired…"

"I am. This will be faster." She stopped to lave his small nipples with the flat of her tongue. She scraped her teeth across them and then continued downwards. Her hands went to his waist first and removed the white briefs, being careful while pulling them over his erection. She sat between his legs and pulled the underwear all the way off tossing it in the direction of the rest of the clothing.

For a micron she just looked at him. He grew harder under her gaze and she licked her lips just thinking about taking him in her mouth. She put her hands on his knees and made room for herself.

"Oh God! Aeryn, you are going to kill me." The sight of her lowering her head towards his cock was almost enough to end it all for him. He clenched his teeth and tried not to thrust his hips at her. The first touch of her lips on the head shot a sharp jolt of pleasure through his body. His back arched and he begged for more. She was never one to waste time and the hot cavern of her mouth encircled him. The suction combined with the steady caress of her tongue on the underside made him tremble.

One of her hands held onto the base, she held him steady and could pump with her hand while taking less of him in her mouth. Her other hand cupped his balls. She loved the feel of them rolling along her palm. She could really feel when he was close.

The first taste of pre-cum made her moan. The light trickle was swallowed with glee and she pulled back to look at him. A couple pumps brought another bubble of the white fluid to the tip. He was so red and hard. The tip of her tongue snuck out and licked up the fluid. He looked up at him and let him watch as she brought her tongue back in and enjoyed his flavor.

His hand tangled in her hair and encouraged her to take him in her mouth again.

"I'm going to make you come now."

"Be my guest, baby" John's voice was lost in a low moan as he watched her slowly descend towards sex.

She smiled and began licking around the head, teasing the underside and following the veins. She tickled the tiny opening and was rewarded with more of his essence. She moaned her enjoyment and the began sucking the head in earnest. Her hand took up the same tempo squeezing and releasing to simulate the muscles inside of her. She felt his sac coiling up and tightening to his body. He was calling her name constantly telling her that he was almost there. She knew and she loved that he still felt the need to warn her.

He was close so she plunged her head down on him and felt him bump the back of her throat. She suckled harder and her tongue rubbed rapidly along the underside. She heard him telling her now, the hand in her hair pulled and his hips couldn't be controlled and he bucked into her mouth. Then the first spurt coated the back of her throat. She swallowed hungrily. None of him would be lost or spilled. She eagerly suckled on him begging him for more.

He gave her everything. Now he was tired. She cradled him in her mouth until he began to soften. Then he saw her kiss the end before climbing back up his body and draping herself across him.

"Now I can sleep without you bugging me." Aeryn kissed his chest as she settled into his side to sleep for the night.

"Hmmm, Baby, did you say something? I'm tired." John expected the slap on his abs and chuckled when she followed through with it. "Love you."

"I love you too." She helped him settled the blankets over them leaving only the thinnest one across her, if she got too cold she'd just move more of her body onto his. He was a perfect heater when they slept with too many quilts she would overheat.

Both of them fell into a contented sleep which was surprising to them both considering their situation. It just cemented how important they were to each other. Just the presence of their other half was enough to make everything not as bad as it seemed.

"I smell." Kahlan sniffed under the covers as she woke with the grumbling of her stomach. "I'm hungry."

"You smell like sex." Richard moved closer to her and buried his nose against her neck. "Sweat and sex and maybe a little road dirt." He kissed her jawline to her chin . She tasted salty and sweet. "Maybe it's time for that bath?"

"I don't want to get up though. I'm so sleepy and warm." She went to flip over and moaned at the soreness that made itself known. She still felt stretched and the ache was wonderful because she knew he'd been inside her. It wasn't a dream it was real. The proof resided between her legs.

"You alright?" Richard pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest.

"Yes. Just a little sore."

"That bath would do you good." He kissed the back of her head before slipping out of bed. The water had cooled so he began heating up more. While waiting he pulled his pants and boots on. Then he kneeled over her and kissed her forehead before heading for the door. "Don't go anywhere."

"I don't think there is a big risk." She glanced down at her naked form under the blankets. "Where are you going?"

"To get something for that stomach of yours."

"Hey!"

Richard turned around to see John coming out of their room. He had his leather pants and shirt on.

"Going down to get some food?" Richard couldn't think of any other explanation to why he wasn't in bed with Aeryn. They'd been all over each other in the open behind closed doors they had to be ripping each other's clothes off.

"Yeah, Aeryn is asleep. I know she'll wake up in a little while and be hungry." John caught up with him to walk downstairs in company. "I guess they don't have no shirt, no shoes, no service rules here."

"Huh?" He looked down at his bare chest. "Oh, well nope, no rules like that in the Midlands."

"You're built there. Don't let Aeryn see that or she'll start hounding me to get to the gym all the time."

"You don't do much sword play in space I suppose."

"Well not that kind of sword play." He chuckled at his own pun not sure if it was wasted on the Seeker or not. He saw him shaking his head with a smile and knew that he'd caught the innuendo.

"Do you know what you want to eat?"

"Whatever you are getting order two more. I have no idea what is good here… or what is here period."

He nodded and walked into the tavern to the barmaid.

John watched until Richard nodded over to him.

"What's your room number, John?"

"Eight."

Richard repeated it to the woman and then pointed at the exit.

"They'll bring up two meals in a few minutes."

"No fast food? Carryout? Doggy bags?"

Richard had no idea what he was talking about and wondered if Aeryn had issues understanding him often.

"I guess that didn't translate." Richard shook his head at him. "I'm used to it, don't worry. I'd explain except that might make it even more confusing."

"I'm sure that it's best to just let it go." Richard looked out the window then tried to find a clock. It was dark outside but the clock indicated it wasn't extremely late. "Want to walk with me to the livery? We can secure the horses tonight."

"How far is it?"

"Right next door. Having a livery next to an Inn is considered a necessity." Richard guessed that they didn't use horses as transportation where he was from at all.

"Sure, man, lets take care of it."

The door opening startled her and she slunk under the covers only peeking her eyes out. If it was anyone but Richard there was going to be a problem.

"Still in bed I see." He came in carrying a large tray of food.

Kahlan's stomach growled at the rich smell of the lamb and steamed vegetables. She couldn't remember the last time they'd had a good meal. The crusty loaf of bread looked like golden perfection. She saw potatoes and gravy her mouth gapped open and she swallowed just thinking about eating it.

"Lock the door." He smiled at her and did as she asked. He was rewarded when she slipped out of bed still completely nude. When she reached for her confessor dress he stopped her. "Eat like that."

"It's cold out here."

"I'll build up the fire." he threw a couple oak logs into the grate then grabbed the extra blanket at the end of the bed and spread it in front of the growing blaze. "Sit here we'll eat in front of it. While I get your bath fixed up."

She picked up the tray and brought it to the picnic blanket. He was so sweet to get her food and prepare her bath. He was pouring in a few pitchers of bubbling hot water in now, replacing the heated water with cold to boil it as well. She watched him toss something into the last pot that was cooking.

"What is that?"

"Lavender and chamomile. It will help you relax."

Just looking at her sitting on the blanket in front of the flickering light from the fireplace was making him want her again. He had to get a hold on his need, she wasn't ready for him to take her a second time. He could see the dark skin under her eyes and knew that she needed more rest not exercise.

"Come eat with me." She pulled off a hunk of bread, slopped some gravy up with it and brought it to her mouth. It was still warm and the crust was crisp contrasting with the soft center. The gravy was nice and savory adding a perfect flavor to the yeasty bread.

"In a minute." He stripped off his boots and pants then sat next to her. "Is it good?"

She didn't answer instead she soaked some more gravy into the piece of bread and held it up for him to eat. He moaned in delight as the food excited his palate.

She picked up some a bit of lamb and took a delicate bite, wanting to test it before she took a mouthful. The meat was tender and juicy. It had clearly been cooked all day and the marinade was slightly spicy. She was almost sad that Zedd was missing out on the food from here. She'd have to tell him to stop in if he ever came this way.

Richard picked up his own fork and dug in. The food was all full of flavor and his stomach was in heaven. They each devoured the meal after carefully tasting each dish.

He heard the boil on the water and got up to put the rest into the tub. There was just enough warmed water to make the bath hot enough.

"It's ready."

"Mmmm. I can't move i'm so full." Kahlan rubbed a circle over her belly emphasizing her statement. He strode across the room and bent down to pick her up. "Ahhhh!" She hadn't been expecting him to carry her. it felt good to be held against his skin. He stepped into the bathtub and slowly sat down.

Both of them sighed as the hot water enveloped them. Kahlan wiggled around until she was laying across him against his side. Her breasts were pressed to his chest and her head laid on his shoulder. She felt the slick soap sliding across her back as Richard began to wash them.

"You're like my personal handmaid."

"You're like my concubine." He smirked at her when she looked up. Her mouth opened and she bit his skin lightly. "Ouch!"

"Don't tease me, I can bite harder."

"I'm sure that you can. Now let me clean you up so I can take you back to bed."

Kahlan happily complied twisting and turning when he asked so he could clean every bit of her body. Then she confiscated the soap from him and returned the favor. She didn't want to be the only clean smelling person in that bed.

He was half hard from the attention she was paying his body and she straddled his lap to encourage him to keep his interest building.

"Not tonight, Kahlan." Her eyes got a flash of disappointment before she attempted to hide it. "You're too sore. We made love only a few hours ago and we need to rest for our long trip to Aydindril. The team of horses it going to meet us at the module at high noon tomorrow."

"So we need to get up early and help John make the wheels for it…" Kahlan let herself fall against him, the water splashing out of the tub from the waves her body made. "I wish we had some more time…"

"There's never enough time for just us."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

John thought he and Richard had had pretty good time. When they returned from the livery two maids were walking up the stairs with their orders. They'd each taken a tray from them, thanked them and headed back to their women.

When he walked into his room Aeryn let out a loud snore which startled her awake.

"I've got good timing." John set the tray on the small table that was by the two chairs.

She shot up, letting the covers fall exposing her breasts to him, while reaching for her pulse pistol.

"Freeze!" Aeryn kneeled up on the mattress pointing her gun at him.

"Baby, it's me, put the gun down. You know I don't like gun play in bed. Only on enemy ships, that's when it's the hottest." John knew she was startled and would be fine when her mind realized it was him.

"I must have been dead asleep when you woke me up banging through the door…" She put the gun back under her pillow and rubbed her eyes clear of the sleep that had gathered there.

"I didn't wake you up."

"Yes you did. Tromping through the door like a frellin' luxon." Aeryn slid out of bed and sat on his lap next to the delicious smelling food.

"Nope. You woke yourself up. I've never heard a louder snore." He chuckled at her as he lifted a forkful of meat to her mouth. "So loud it even woke you up."

Before she could argue her mouth was full of lamb and she was chewing the food so she didn't choke. He was going to pay for that little trick later.

He fed himself a forkful quickly so he had more food ready when she was done with that bite. He knew he was in trouble. He just had to pray the food took her mind off of his punishment.

"Good isn't it?" He stuffed a forkful of potatoes into her mouth as she opened to answer. All she could do was nod and chew. His hand rubbed her back and hip as she leaned her head on his shoulder, pressing into his body more closely. "Richard and I got the horses all set up, we'll be on our way to their capitol tomorrow."

He tried to fill her mouth again but she grabbed his wrist to make him pause.

"Aren't you a little worried about getting home?" She let him continue feeding her after getting her question out.

"Yes." John picked up some bread to chew on. "It's strange isn't it?"

"What? To be concerned about getting home? No not at all."

"No to think that now when you say the word home to me, I'm picturing the same thing as you are." He kissed her temple and watched the smile tint her lips. "Home is wherever you are, baby."

He took another bite of bread and offered her some. He could see the moisture in her eyes as she tried to blink it away.

"What if we can't get the module off the ground again?"

"Then home will be here."

"You'd be happy with that?" Aeryn didn't know how she felt about being stranded on a single planet for the rest of her life.

"I'd be with you. That makes me the happiest guy on any planet, in any solar system."

"Me too." She lifted her lips to his and he complied with her silent request by placing a soft kiss against her mouth.

"Eat up so we can get back to sleep. I have a feeling this is going to be our last night of good rest for a while, at least until we get to the palace."

She picked up her own fork to make dinner go by faster. Se was still very tired. After she filled her belly she knew she'd sleep well, next to John, all night long.

Morning came too quickly for Kahlan. She stretched and yawned as the dawn light filtered across their bed. She turned onto her back and Richard was already awake, propped up on and elbow, stroking his fingertips across her skin.

"Morning my love." He bent his head and kissed her brow. "We need to get going."

"Our first morning together and you already want to leave my bed."

He kissed her lips before scurrying out of the covers. He tossed her clothes at her before starting to dress himself.

"There is not one thing I want more than to stay in that bed with you all day making love." He flashed her his smile that melted her heart every time.

"Lets do that." Kahlan spread her arms over the mattress and rubbed the spot that he had just vacated. "Come back to bed, Richard."

"You know we can't. Someday, I promise, we'll get our time together. Just us. No interruptions." He pulled his shirt on and started packing their things.

"I'm going to hold you to that." She reluctantly got up and put her traveling dress on. He'd gathered everything by the time she'd righted all the laces and flaps. He was looking over at her as she primped in front of the vanity mirror. She liked that he seemed to be enjoying watching her. When her hair was fixed she joined him at the door. He started to push it open when she stopped him. "When can we…" her eyes flickered back and forth from him to the bed. "Again."

"Well we have a little problem of not being alone tonight…" He ushered her out the door before he need up tossing her back on the bed and they were stuck there for hours. They couldn't afford to miss the time working on getting the ship moveable.

Richard jogged down the hall to knock on the door for John and Aeryn's room when it opened right as he was going to hit the wood.

"You have good timing." John complimented as he held the door opened for her. "Just don't hit her on accident, you'll never hear the end of it and you'll end up on your ass as retaliation."

"Good advice." Aeryn nodded her agreement and walked up to greet Kahlan.

He saw his fiancée blush furiously as Aeryn got close to her and Richard knew exactly what she'd opened the conversation with and that her bright red cheeks had answered the questions affirmatively.

John witnessed the exchange between the two women and slapped Richard on the back.

"You gave in then?" He gave him a slight tip of his chin and his cheek flamed. "No need to be shy. It's good that you did. I don't know if I could take all that sexual tension on this long trip we're all about to take."

"Yeah, I'm glad I let her have her way."

"You know anytime you can let them have what they want and you end up getting laid, it's never a bad thing."

"Getting laid?" Richard was again confused by his conversation.

"Yeah you know… sex, making love. It's good when that's the end result and it makes them happy."

"Oh, I see… yes it was good."

"Well now that everyone's lust has been sated, for now at least, let's get to the blacksmith and borrow some tools." John let Richard lead the way. They caught up with the women who were not speaking just sharing a secret look that said that they were going to have a lot to say later, out of hearing range of them. He was glad that Richard didn't seem to understand girl talk and gossip at all. It might have embarrassed him to know that Kahlan was going to be telling Aeryn all about last night later.

As soon as the Mother Confessor made the request the large brute of a blacksmith had bent over backwards to help them. He let john use all is equipment to fashion the wheels, even offering helpful suggestions that only a man of his trade would know. He taught him how to best bend and shape the iron and steel to get the maximum strength and reliability. It took much less time than John had calculated thanks to the man. They left with a couple hours to spare.

"You sure do pull a lot of weight around here, Kahlan." John commented as they walked back toward the module.

"Well, it's not something that I like to use all the time, but it's useful."

"It's like no one would ever think to cross you."

"You'd be surprised, really…" Richard commented with a chuckle causing her to smile at him.

"In the midlands we have many different lands. All of them are allowed to rule as they see fit... up to a point. To help the kings and queens and other sovereign leaders employ fair terms we have a central council. The council oversees the rule and law that pertains to the good of all the midlands. They don't bother with smaller orders, just the important things."

"Sounds like a fair system. So where do you fit in?" John was curious to the exact extent of power that this woman could wield. Her future husband seemed to be some sort of legend or hero around these parts.

"I oversee the council."

His mouth dropped. This woman might be the highest authority figure in the land.

"Queens bow to the Mother Confessor." Richard added gleefully. He'd been the same way once, unbelieving that she could have that much influence. Now he couldn't imagine people not reacting how they did to her. She was very good at her job. Kahlan's compassion and fair-mindedness would be a huge benefit to everyone when he returned her to her seat in Aydindril.

"I had no idea…"

"I hope it doesn't change anything…" Kahlan always worried about revealing her true self to people. "I'm still just a woman. A friend."

Aeryn set her hand on her shoulder. She could tell that Kahlan carried a weight around because of who she was. She could understand. She'd been burdened by many things. Sometimes she thought that people couldn't see that she, too, was just a woman under her Peacekeeper facade. John knew. In the end he was the only one that mattered.

"Of course not. This is good to know though." A thought just hit him. "So that's why you can just go in and get what you want and I've never seen you pay for anything."

"It's considered impolite to charge the Mother Confessor and the Seeker for accommodations. It is really quite convenient on the road." Richard smirked and pointed to the place in the woods that marked their path to the spaceship. "Here we are."

The special wheels fit to perfection and the four of them were able to maneuver the module out and into the path so the horses would have an easier time being attached to it. It wasn't long until the driver came along with his team of eight large draft animals. The hitching took mere minutes as the Richard, Kahlan and the driver attached the tugs to the evener that John had fashioned.

Kahlan spoke to the man and made sure that he knew to deliver the spaceship to the Confessor Palace. Then she handed him a note signed with her hand and marked with the Mother Confessors seal. She addressed it to Zedd, he'd know what to do when it arrived. he might have an idea about how to develop fuel for it before they got there.

They sent the man off with money to stop for fresh horses a couple times even with eight sharing the burden it was a long distance and there would be a need to switch teams. The man seemed set so they waved him off and then started on their way.

The silence was comfortable as they pushed through the trail. All of them just enjoyed the day. The sun was sparkling along the trees, leaves reflecting light down to the path. The birds all sang happy songs as the clouds rolled along the bright blue sky. There was a contentment that seemed to permeate the group.

The whistling of the arrow surprised them as did the cry that came from Aeryn's mouth. Kahlan and Richard pulled their weapons free as John grabbed her and pulled her into his protective embrace.

The arrow was piercing her arm, the head had made a clean cut through and the wooden shaft was embedded in her bicep.

The battle cry came next as the D'Haran's charged in.

Kahlan took one side as Richard protected the other. The clanging of metal plagued their ears and the two of them fought to give John time to remove the arrow.

"Hurry! Break the wood, as close to her arm as you can, and pull it through." Richard called the instructions to John without looking back. He couldn't take his focus from the battle in front of him.

He ducked as an axe came at his head and deeded with an upthrust of his sword. It buzzed with the rage as it sliced the enemy's belly open. Using his foot, he kicked him off the blade and sent the steel into the next attacker. One after another Richard cut them down.

John looked at Aeryn and wished that he didn't have to be the one to do this. He saw Richard in front of him fighting furiously against the hordes racing towards them and he could hear Kahlan as his back doing the same. Her dress would brush against him as she spun and danced her deadly waltz with the men who'd ambushed them. He knew he needed to hurry so he could help.

"This is going to hurt, baby." He grimaced imaging the pain.

"Just do it." Aeryn needed to regain her arm, she couldn't do anything with the arrow sticking out of it. At least immobilized she'd be able to fight with her other hand. "Now!"

The crack of wood made her scream as it sent a blaze of pain up her shoulder.

"Give me that piece!" Aeryn yelled at John. He looked confused at her and she demanded the end he'd just torn off. He handed it to her finally and she put it between her teeth. Then she shouted at him to pull. He must have heard her because he didn't hesitate and she struggled to stay conscious.

"God, Aeryn, stay with me, baby, fight for it. I need you to fight it!" He tapped her cheek with his palm trying to draw her focus back to him and off the extreme pain in her arm.

"Let me down, use Winona…" She was gasping for her breath and she pulled his pulse pistol from the holster, handing him something that would put a quick end to the violence.

"Ah Winona!" John kissed her forehead and looked up to aim. He found his first target trying to get through the barrier that Richard and Kahlan were protecting. His aim was decent and his fired hitting the man in the shoulder.

Suddenly everyone was frozen. The soldier that he hit was smoldering where the pulse had hit him and he looked at the entry wound then back at John before falling over dead.

"There's plenty more where that came from." She panted with pain, her arm held tight against her belly as her other one held her weapon pointing it at the other side of the D'Harans. Aeryn was ready to take anyone down who tried to hurt them. "I suggest you all just retreat."

"You are all fighting a war that's over." Kahlan used her sternest Mother Confessor tone with them all. "Not only that, you're attacking your Lord Rahl. You should be letting him lead you into a new time. Letting him help your people with his wisdom, fairness, and the love he has for all people."

"Kahlan, it's okay…"

"No, Richard, it's not okay. They are your men. They should respect what you've accomplished and not continue to ambush us. They should be protecting you not trying to kill you."

"It takes time." He didn't know how to explain to her that he needed the men to come to him on their own. He didn't mean to take the throne like Darken Rahl had. He wanted them to know that he'd earned the right to be their leader.

"We don't have time." They'd had this conversation over and over. Kahlan wanted him to stand up and become the leader of the D'Haran people. She wanted their wedding to join the lands. But he was being so difficult. She knew that being with her was part of the reason he refused. They'd have to live apart some of the time. As of now D'Harans and the people of the Midlands wouldn't be cohesive. They'd fight a ruler that didn't live in their palace. She wanted to make him see that this was more important, taking the throne of D'Hara, than being with her. Her own selfish heart wouldn't allow her to press the issue. She too just wanted him. Only him.

"They need to get it. They need to know that I won't rule with tyranny. I won't rule with injustice and fear. I want them to know that I'll lead them to a time where the people don't have to fear that their opinions, bloodlines, religious practices, and anything else that might offend me won't get them killed. It's important that I don't just take something. I want it to be offered."

John watched them argue and then fired his gun into the air.

"Can you two talk about this later? We're still surrounded…" He waved the pistol around them pointing out the soldiers with their weapons still at the ready.

"I suggest you all go home." Aeryn thought that idea sounded marvelous. "Before John and I decide that we need some extra target practice between here and Aydindril…" She took aim at the nearest man and went to squeeze her trigger. "Now would be a good time to leave. My fingers aren't that steady after being shot with an arrow…"

They all put their weapons away and began to retreat.

"So they aren't as dumb as they look?" John smiled at the group and they all watched the last of their attackers disappear into the woods.

"You guys ever get a day without something going down?" Aeryn winced as she holstered her weapon. Then she covered the wound on her arm. "It's like we never left. We can't even call this a vacation…"

"We need to get that arm wrapped and looked at." Richard tugged her hand that covered her bicep. The blood had covered that arm and the side of her body was becoming red from the bleeding. "Let me see it."

She removed her hand and hissed as the pressure release caused another throb of pain to shoot through her.

"It's not as bad as it looks, right?" John sounded hopeful.

"It's always as bad as it looks where I'm concerned, you know that…" She tried to joke about it but she was feeling faint from the blood loss and the intense ache that subsided in her upper arm. "Did we bring the kit?"

They all looked up as they heard a ripping sound. Kahlan had pulled her confessor dress from the backpack and was tearing off strips of cloth from one of the sleeves.

"We need to get it wrapped. This is clean." As if that's the only explanation that was required. She pulled her water skein from the bag and handed it to Richard. "Clean the wound, make sure there isn't any wood slivers left. If Zedd were here he could heal her, but he's not, so we'll have to do the best we can until we get to the next town."

Richard poured the water gently over the wound. He saw her grit her teeth but tried to ignore that he was the one aggravating her injury. Carefully, he pulled at the edges trying to see if there were any small wood pieces left in the small hole. It was hard to see with the blood that kept returning. He motioned for John to rinse the wound while he examined it and he saw a bit of wood.

"This is going to hurt, but i need to get the pice out." Richard felt awful, but he saw her nod. His finger slowly pushed into the hole and she screamed but didn't struggle. He worked at the sliver with his finger nail until it finally slipped free.

"Thanks." Her words were a mumble as she lost her battle with the pain and slipped into blackness.

"Oh baby…" John was holding her still and sat down on the ground to prop her against him while Richard worked on the injury.

"Here's a salve to apply." Kahlan handed a crushed mixer of herbs that she'd just prepared.

"I'll pack it in the wound and then we can bandage it." Richard began applying the paste Kahlan had made. When it was sufficiently covered he held his hand out and she placed the strips of fabric in them. The wrapping was easy, he'd done it enough times for them on the trail. It looked like the bleeding had been tempered by the packing of the hole and very little blood seemed to be staining the bandage.

"Looks good, Seeker."

"I learned by doctoring the best, Mother Confessor."

"Are you saying I'm injury prone?" She smiled at him and packed everything back up. "We just need to wake her now."

"I can just carry her, Let her rest a bit." John stood and took her into his arms. He held her uninjured arm closest to his chest and Richard placed her injured arm across her belly so there wasn't danger of it dangling and hitting something that he couldn't see. "Alright, lets get on with this."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

By the time they reached the next town Aeryn was back on her feet. She'd woken after a half an hour and had been able to walk after standing for a few moments. Richard had her take some herbs internally to help fight fever and infection. When they stopped for the night in the town they'd take her to the local healer.

"How's your arm?"

"You've asked me that every arn since I woke up, John. I'm fine." She rolled her eyes at him but secretly adored how worried he was. "I've been worse."

"I know, but it doesn't make it less scary for me."

"You just don't want to be left alone on this planet. You need me to help fix the ship."

"You can see right through me, baby, that's all it is, you're my ticket home." He reached out and grabbed her hand as it swung by. His fingers tangled between hers and squeezed. "I wouldn't have any reason to leave if you weren't with me."

He gave her arm a tug and she turned to face him. He inspected the bandaging on the opposite side and it was satisfactory still. Not much blood had seeped through and it looked snug. Then he leaned in and kissed her mouth.

She was surprised when his warm lips touched hers, but quickly recovered and opened for him. His tongue slipped in and she welcomed it with her own. His tongue slid across hers and his hand was on her ribs pulling her closer, tickling her side. She moaned as his fingertips traveled higher and brushed the underside of her breast.

Soon she was rubbing his back with her palm and reaching her hand down to squeeze his backside. They were so lost in the kiss that they didn't hear Richard clear his throat.

"I don't think that they had as satisfying as a night as we did." He looked back to Kahlan, taking his eyes off the couple devouring each other.

"I want you again…" Kahlan touched her fingers to his temple and brushed the hair behind his ear. She blushed a little at her admission but didn't take her eyes off his.

He grabbed her wrist and brought her hand to his mouth where he placed kisses along the lines there.

"Mmm, yes, but we should keep moving. We'll be able to get some horses in the village and then make better time to Aydindril." Horses would cut days off their journey. He let her hand go and leaned in to kiss her cheek. They looked back at John and Aeryn and his hands were holding her tightly against him as the ground their hips against each other.

"We should interrupt them…" Kahlan's arousal wasn't being cooled by watching them touch, in fact she was becoming hotter as they continued to make out in the middle of the path.

Richard cleared his throat again and saw them pause.

"You two need some alone time?" Kahlan giggled as she ducked her head against Richards neck.

"Yes." John smiled at them. "We only need…" He looked at his wrist then back to Aeryn. "Five minutes or so."

She pushed his chest to removed herself from his grasp. The movement aggravated her injury and she hissed.

"Sorry, baby, I wasn't thinking." He held her arm steady and helped her settle it back against her stomach. They started walking to catch up with Richard and Kahlan, the daylight was going to start to fade soon, they should get to town before it got too dark.

"Part of you was thinking…" Aeryn smiled and jogged on ahead leaving John's mouth gaping behind her. She was sure that he needed some time to get his hormones under control. She wasn't going to be a slave to them, at least, not right this second.

Perhaps in a few arns.

The healer was able to flush the wound more effectively and with an anesthetic so there was very little pain. In fact, there was very little feeling at all as the wound was cleansed. Aeryn sat patiently on the table as John held her other hand. The old woman had thought him quite adorable when he refused to leave her alone. Richard and Kahlan had both sympathized knowing that if it was either of them in that position they would be hell bent to not leave the side of the other.

The two of them went to buy a set of horses while John and the healer woman took care of Aeryn.

"They're cute."

"Don't let Aeryn hear you say that." Richard shook his head thinking about what she'd say if she heard Kahlan referring to them as cute.

"She'd like it, even if she didn't show it outwardly."

"Or so you hope…" He slung his arm around her shoulders and held her to his side as they walked to the stables in the village. "You're cute."

"You don't have to work for it. I'm more than willing." She circled his waist with her arms. Walking was becoming short-strided and a little awkward but she liked the closeness.

"I like to tell you that you're beautiful. It makes me feel good to make you feel good about yourself."

"I'm not used to people complimenting my looks. It's never… well It's never mattered before. If I wanted a man there wasn't any need for him to want me back. I would just use my power on him and then he'd want me more than he wanted to breathe." A tear tried to gather in her eye but she rubbed it away on his shoulder. That part of her life was behind her. She had Richard now.

"That's how much I want you." He kissed the top of her head and stopped them in front of the livery. "I want you so much sometimes I can't breathe because my chest is constricted with the love I have for you. I ache with it."

"You say the most beautiful, wonderful, sappy things sometimes." She lifted up on her tip toes to lightly kiss his lips. Then, grabbing his hand, dragged him into the stable office.

"You need to have her take this twice a day. With food." The old healer dug threw her bags tossing a bunch of things onto the floor and table. "Don't let her take it without eating something. Her stomach will cramp up and she'll be…"

"I get it. With food. What else?"

"Pack it with this herb mix and boiled, but chilled water, every night. If it's looking swollen and there is a lot of yellowish gooey puss coming out than do it twice a day." She looked at John to make sure he was understanding her. His language wasn't quite the same as hers and while he seemed to be getting every word some of his retorts weren't quite working for her. "It's important that you boil it to kill anything that's living in the water and then make it cold to help soothe any irritation."

"Okay. That's not so hard." He looked over at Aeryn. She wasn't quite all there yet but the sleeping and numbing effects seemed to be wearing off nicely.

"Arrow wounds can go badly fast. It's close to her heart. Keep up with it." She then turned to Aeryn. "Young lady, if it starts to throb and pain you more than it is right after all this stuff fades then you tell them right away." She turned back to John. "I can tell she likes to play a tough one. But this isn't the time to be a hero…"

She mumbled something else about women doing more when a perfectly handsome, strong man was there to do it for them, while she walked to her back room. It made John chuckle and Aeryn just glared.

"Handsome? I don't know about that…"

"Ouch! You would wound me too after I spent all evening in here holding your hand?"

"You liked holding my hand. It made you feel like a strong, handsome man…"

He leaned over and kissed her. She responded sleepily the after effect of the medication still lingering.

"Can we go now, Healer?" John wanted to take her to bed, not that they could do much, but she'd had a long day and she needed to sleep.

"Yes, I'm just getting you a bag for the medicine. I don't want them getting lost…"

She came out of the back room and saw them cuddled up together their mouths close from sharing a kiss.

"Will you be needing something to prevent conception as well? I know couples don't usually want to conceive on a…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… just a minute." John looked at Aeryn's wide-eyed expression and attempted to choke back his laughter. Unfortunately for his shoulder it didn't completely work and her fist hit him as he tried to stop the old woman's thoughts about them together… naked. "We're actually already expecting."

"John Crichton!" Aeryn hadn't expected that. Of all the responses that was the one he picked. The fact that it was the truth didn't make her any less irritated.

"What? It's true. No reasons to lie."

"Oh congratulations. When is the blessed event? Must be more than seven months her stomach looks nice and flat still."

"It's complicated…" John hadn't thought about explaining the situation before blurting out that she was pregnant. No one here would understand the Peacekeeper pregnancy stasis. "But we are in no need of your preventative herbs. If that's everything we can leave?"

"Yes. Here is your bag of medicine." She waved at the couple as they left to meet up with their traveling companions. They were quite the pair and to be accompanying the Seeker and the Mother Confessor across the Midlands, they had to be important.

She wished them a safe and happy journey and then pointed them towards the livery. The old healer smiled as they left arm in arm. There wasn't enough young love around these days. After the tyrant Darken Rahl was deposed she hoped to see more and more of it blooming in the future. Perhaps the wedding between Richard and Kahlan would make things easier on people.

They weren't quite as lucky at the Inn this time. There was only one room to be had. It contained two beds of decent size, however. Kahlan and Richard let the other two have the larger of the two beds. They slept much more compactly and with Aeryn's arm healing they wanted to let them have more space.

Everyone was tired and the silence in the room was peaceful. Kahlan helped Aeryn dress and checked her arm before stripping down to her corset and black shorts. The men had agreed to wait in the hall for her to call them back in. When she did both of them tossed their shirts over the back of the chair and climbed into bed with their respective mate.

The four of them fell asleep quickly and by first light everyone seemed to awaken more chipper and rested then they had any of the other nights they'd been journeying as a group.

John tended to Aeryn's arm, teaching Kahlan the steps as he went in case something was to happen he needed to make sure that another person was able to care for her properly.

"Once we reach Aydindril Zedd will be able to heal you." Kahlan casually remarked as she secured the bandage over the cleanly packed wound.

"I've already been to a healer…"

"No he'll be able to make the muscle and flesh mend, magically." Kahlan looked at her as if she couldn't comprehend not knowing magic. Then she remembered that Richard was raised in the same manner. He hadn't known anything about it until she'd met up with him.

"Powerful magic!" Richard leaned over her shoulder to look at her handy work, kissed her temple then stood up. "Everything is packed, you ladies ready?"

"Yes. Lets go ride."

They picked up the four horses and put Aeryn on the calmest of the group. She'd never really ridden but they all assured her that her horse would be more than willing to just walk with the others. Richard gave her tips as they headed out of town. Ways to calm a startled or spooked horse, how to turn and stop and ask for more speed. Eventually they had her worked up to a trot, then a canter. The pace was nice and steadily fast and they made good time. It wouldn't be too many days now until they arrived in Aydindril.

Kahlan was looking forward to their arrival more than she could express without seeming ungrateful. She was eager to marry Richard and begin their life together. She also missed Zedd and Cara more than she care to admit. While being alone with Richard was marvelous she enjoyed Cara's sarcastic replies and Zedd's stomach providing them with directions to the next place. She'd been with them all so long they were a big part of who she was.

They rode on through many towns. They'd break for camp when the sun began to set and rise early in the morning to continue the long ride. Aydindril drew closer with each passing day.

"How much further do you think?" John moaned as he dismounted. His muscles unused to riding for hours on end. He was sure that Aeryn wasn't much better off.

"A couple days at most, perhaps tomorrow if we're lucky and the pass isn't already too snowed over. It gets snow there early but it cuts almost a whole day off the journey from this direction." Kahlan prepared a fire to boil the water for Aeryn's wound care as she spoke.

"My ass might not make it."

"And such a nice ass it is. I'd like it preserved, if at all possible, selfish reasons." Aeryn smiled as she unwrapped her arm for treatment.

"We'll do what we can to make sure that everyone arrives intact and unharmed." Richard glanced around the makeshift campsite. "So far we are doing quite poorly at this…"

They all found amusement in their misfortunes then and had a good laugh before settling in for the night.

The morning brought more riding ahead of them. After Aeryn's arm was well cared for they mounted up. The ride wasn't as treacherous as the day before the land was flat grassland instead of sand and woods. It was a nice respite before they reached the mountains outside Aydindril. Kahlan had told them about people becoming trapped there too late in the year. They'd died without any means to get food and water. People traveling the pass would find the bodies. The path was lined with memorials to the friends and family that had perished on the trail.

The two visitors were aching by the time that they reached the mountain pass. The prospect of traversing the steep hills and narrow ridges made them both groan with discomfort. Just the entrance to the trail send a shiver of pain up John's back.

"Is there any way we can rest for a bit before we start?" John glanced at Aeryn and saw she was relieved he'd asked. She'd never complain on her own but needed to pause.

Richard looked up at the sky then to Kahlan. His eyes asking her what she thought. Rarely did they require words to have a conversation. She made a face back at him and he sighed.

"We can rest for a half and hour." Everyone quickly dismounted and let the horses to graze. "We can't wait any longer to go than that though. I can feel weather coming in and we need every bit of daylight we can muster."

They all agreed and John went over the check on Aeryn's arm. The bandaging was holding nicely and he couldn't see any reason to change it just yet.

"You going to be alright?"

"I might need a massage after this trek…" She rubbed at her lower back and bottom for emphasis.

"Some hot oil, jazz music, incense in the air, you and me naked… yeah sounds like my kind of night." John rubbed at his own posterior, wincing as his hands pressed the sore muscles.

"I got the naked part and the oil part. The rest I'm going to chalk up to the fact that it's coming from your mouth." She smiled at him as he kissed her nose. His arm came around her back and he squeezed her shoulder. His hand worked along her upper back and neck as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I just want to lay down in a hot as I can stand bath and let the water pull these aches out of me. I'm not as young as I look." John gave her one last squeeze before they parted ways.

"Young?" Aeryn grinned. "Who said anything about you looking young?" The hand that swatted her backside made her giggle then grunt in pain. "Watch the tender parts, Crichton!"

"I'll explore all your 'tender parts' later, baby, don't you worry."

"Do you two ever stop?" Richard laughed at their banter. They were so at ease with each other it was fun to watch them interact.

"She started it…"

"Did not!" Aeryn swatted back at him as he dodged her hand.

All four of them were chuckling now. It was a good rest before the seriousness of navigating trough the mountains.

Richard looked up at the sky and called for them all to mount back up. He heard the grumbles of protest but they couldn't afford to delay any longer.

"Was that really a half an hour?" John couldn't believe it had flown by so speedily.

"It was. Even if it wasn't you'd rather be sore than dead."

"The man has a point." John mumbled to Aeryn.

She just gave a small smile back. The pain in her ass for once wasn't only John. The saddle felt like a rock under her butt and she knew it would be chafed and raw when they got across.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The joking had disappeared hours ago. No one really spoke as the horses picked their way over the rocky path. The steepness of some of the terrain made John and Aeryn just close their eyes and pray the horses would bring them safely through. They didn't know how people could handle traveling by horseback. Planes, those were much safer and less terrifying. They were hoping that their ship was already safely to Aydindril and that they would soon join it. They were hoping that all of them would arrive in one piece.

The weather had begun to pick up as they neared the peak of the mountain. Tiny snow flakes were forming and falling.

John enjoyed watching them tickle Aeryn's eyelashes and nose, her cheeks were pink from the cold and she looked like a kid at christmas time. He told her to stick out her tongue and catch the tiny crystals. Living in space for her whole life had prevented her from many of the experiences he took for granted. One of them was snow. While he'd lived in florida for a long time before that he'd been in other towns and states where winter was more of a big deal. He'd remembered playing in the white fluff as a child and he wanted that for his baby. One day he'd find a way to make sure their children got everything.

The snow seemed to distract them both from the soreness of their bodies. Richard and Kahlan just looked concerned when it began to fall. They'd heard all the tales, the warnings, the disasters that happened here. They'd probably witnessed some of the devastation that the mountain pass travelers succumbed to. John had faith that they would all be through to the other side before anything too serious happened.

As the hours passed the snow was gradually increasing it's intensity. Soon the ground was white with the dusting of ice crystals. They were descending now, hoping that the heat would increase as they followed the mountain path down.

"It's colder than space down here!" Crichton called over the bitter wind that was now whipping the snowflakes around them all. The breeze had turned frigid instead of warm as they continued the journey. It was supposed to get warmer as the altitude decreased but with night swiftly approaching the weather was turning wicked.

"I'm fine." Aeryn called over to him. She could see that his lips were turning blue and he was shaking. Richard and Kahlan had pulled out their cloaks and put them on. They didn't have any extra for John or Aeryn, but then she remembered about the shiny blanket material.

Kahlan dug in the saddlebag and pulled out the silver blanket. The horses were too tired to care about the crinkly noise and the flash of light reflect off the fabric. She passed it over to John and he quickly wrapped it around his shoulders. She offered the second blanket to Aeryn but she turned it down.

"You sure, sweetheart?" John didn't understand her being able to stand extreme cold but not heat. He would never truly understand the subacean regulatory glands he supposed. He could tell her body was reacting to the cold. Her nipples were pointing at attention. His mouth watered thinking about warming them up and making them harden for a completely different reason. "I don't want anything… vital... freezing."

"It's a perfect temperature for a nice ride." Her voice was almost lost in the wind as the horses got further apart. "Although I'd love for you to warm me up later…"

He just shook his head and looked forward at Richard. As they descended into a valley the path narrowed. Each horse had to continue single file. The Seeker led the way and Kahlan took the rear. Neither of them wanted John or Aeryn to get lost, even though it seemed impossible on the tight trail, or injured without them knowing about it.

As they got lower and lower into the valley the mountain began to block much of the wind and the snow seemed to slow. The covering on the ground was becoming a mere smattering, no longer could you see the hoof prints left by the horse in front of you.

"Looks like we're getting out of the worst of it." Kahlan shouted across the group. The wind no longer stealing her words. "You can see the sun trying to peek through the cloud cover now. We should be out of the storm completely soon."

"Shouldn't be much longer now." Richard waited at the bottom of the path, letting his horse graze on the frosted grass. He could see the final turn before the last large descent right up ahead. The others slowly gathered with him until finally Kahlan was down the steep hill. "Ready?"

"Lets get out of here." John clucked to his horse to get him moving towards the well worn trail in the nearby trees. The others seemed to agree that waiting around even a few minutes was a poor idea. The storm could catch them at any time. The wind was already starting to pick up again.

Richard sent his horse into a trot, passing Crichton, and leading the way along the forest pass. At least they were back in the trees, the woods would help protect them from the bitter cold of the harsh wind. He was glad that the journey was almost complete. He could practically smell Aydindril now. His friends would be able to figure out a way home and everyone would be able to curl up under heavy blankets in comfortable beds. Soon Kahlan would be his wife. He led the charge in the final leg of the journey. There wouldn't be anything to stop them now.

The city was grander than John had pictured in his mind. He suspected the twilight made it even prettier. The way the orange of the sunset made the palace glow. The tall walls and buildings all sparkled with the setting sun, reflecting and moving the light as if the city was alive. His mouth gaped at the beauty.

"Wow. It's beautiful." Aeryn's deep voice sent a shiver down his spine. She was speaking reverently. He loved when she was in awe of something. Her voice would get low and she'd speak slowly. It made him want to hold her close and feel the vibrations of her voice box against his lips. Among other places. Despite his sore backside he was thinking about getting to a warm bed. A nice comfortable bed. With Aeryn. He wasn't going to let her off with the tired excuse, not tonight. It had been too long. Too much had happened. He needed her. All of her.

"It's home." Kahlan felt the tears sting her eyes and she wiped them away. She didn't think she'd be so emotional seeing it again. "Lets go. People are waiting."

They rode hard towards the gates the palace guards opening them as they approached. As the courtyard drew near all of them slowed their mounts and walked easily up to the palace.

"You live here?" Aeryn was impressed by her home. It was larger than it looked across the field.

"Yes. Now so does Richard." She shot a worried glance over at him. They hadn't really discussed it yet, but with the way he'd be ranting about D'haran's when they'd attacked them she was feeling good about him not leaving her any time soon."You two are welcome to stay as long as you need to as well."

They all dismounted and grooms were right at their sides collecting the horses and bringing them to the stable.

"They're taking our things!"

"It's alright, Aeryn. They'll bring them up to your room after everything is cleaned and washed." Kahlan held her elbow and directed her to follow them into the palace.

"Why aren't you two a sight for old eyes." Zedd was right inside the main entrance speaking with one of the footmen. He hadn't been expecting them so soon. He'd heard that the mountain pass was closed due to weather. "You must have started up that mountain before they closed it. You're quite lucky to be alive my dears."

"It was quite cold." Kahlan ran over and gave the old wizard a hug. "How are you and Cara?"

"We're fine, child. We've been here only a short time but most everything is prepared for you two." He turned to Richard and pulled him in for a hug as well. Holding both of them in his arms made his old heart beat a little slower. When they were out of sight he always worried. "Good to see you too, my boy. These must be your friends. The ones with the mysterious vessel that is out of fuel."

"Oh, how rude of me." Kahlan stepped back and walked over to John and Aeryn. "Zedd, meet John Crichton and Aeryn Sun."

He shook their hands in greeting.

"Nice to meet you, I don't suppose you've had time to take a look at it at all have you?" John was eager to know if they were going to have a way home or if they were going to be spending a while here looking for one.

"Well, I haven't had much time at all." He saw the disappointment reign over their faces and quickly continued. "But it was quite the curiosity so I made the time."

"What do you think? Do you know something here we can use to fuel it?" Aeryn was excited at the prospect of getting back home.

"I am fairly sure that we can make it fly for you again." Zedd nodded his head at them. "But there is time to discuss that later. Now lets get you all fed, bathed and to bed. You look terrible, the lot of you."

"Always dishing out the compliments, Zedd." Richard patted him on the shoulder and then waved a footman over. "We need a room made up for our guests. Put them in the same wing as the Mother Confessor and I."

"So you need a room for them and one for the Seeker? Your suite is always ready for your return, my lady." Henri, the footman, looked to Kahlan for direction.

"No just one more room. Richard will be in my suite." Kahlan gave him an imposing look and he clearly wasn't one to question her orders. He scurried off, his face bright red, to fulfill the demands of his mistress.

"Did you confess the staff?" Aeryn joked after watching the speed that Henri left to make up the rooms.

"I don't have to. Most of them have grown up in the Palace and learned to follow the orders of the Mother Confessor to a tee. Some of the previous rulers haven't been as tolerant…"

"Shall we eat?" Zedd was always ready for another meal. His stomach grumbled at the thought of the dinner he knew was waiting for them to enjoy.

"Yes, Zedd, lets go to the dining room." Kahlan led the way and everyone followed eager for a hot meal after the journey through the cold mountains.

The meal passed by quickly but not fast enough for John and Aeryn. She kept eating her food suggestively. Her tongue would test the flavor and savor it before her lips wrapped around the morsels. She would smile as she slowly chewed her food. After each bite she'd lick her lips and suck them between her teeth. Low moans escaped her throat marking her enjoyment.

Johns eyes wouldn't leave her lips. He was so hard for her he was having issues sitting still. The conversation flowed around them and he would mutter agreements or shake his head. If he was asked an opinion on something he'd give it but not really know what he was saying. Everything that mattered was right in front of him. His life was there and he needed to explore her. The way she'd taken him in her mouth the other night had sated some of his desire but nothing could replace the joy he got from being inside her.

The way they were looking at each other over their food was starting to make Richard hot. He was hoping that he'd be able to convince his fiancée to let him have his way with her tonight but she might still be sore from her first time. He'd be content to just hold her if she wasn't ready yet. She grinned at him, flashing her pearly white teeth, her eyes sparkled with the joy she was feeling. He loved her happy like this. He felt her hand on his knee squeezing indicating that he might indeed get lucky again soon.

"I'm quite tired." John pushed his plate of food into the center of the table before scooting his chair back. "Ready Aeryn?"

"What if I'm still hungry?" She asked with a mischievous smile knowing full well that he was still starving, but not for food.

"Oh, I hope that you are." He stood and held out his hand to her. He was relieved when she took it, thinking for a microt that she would tease him and continue to munch on her food.

"You know the way?" She let him pull her to her feet and stood directly in front of him. His breath puffed across her lips and she felt her heart rate increase. She wanted to get to their bedroom. Tonight she wasn't too tired.

"I'll find it…" John rubbed his head trying to think of a way to get someone to show them. "At this point I'll take any private room however."

"Henri." Kahlan beaconed him into the dining hall. "Please show John and Aeryn to their room."

He nodded and held his arm out towards the doorway they should exit through.

"We'll see you two in the…" Kahlan paused knowing that no one was going to be eager to get out of bed in the morning. "When we see you. Perhaps lunch tomorrow."

They exchanged goodnight wishes as they left the room.

"Well I think they have a good idea, Kahlan." Richard slid his chair closer to hers and slung his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't you want to spend time with our friends?" Just as she was finishing her sentence Cara walked through the doorway. "See Cara just returned!"

Kahlan jumped out of the chair and shuffled over to the mord'sith. She was tired but she was glad to see her friend. She hugged her tightly when she got close enough to her and she felt Cara almost hug her back.

"I see you two were able to make it back without my help. It's quite remarkable, actually." She smirked and removed herself from Kahlan's grasp. She was getting more used to her touching but it still made her slightly uncomfortable if it went on for too long.

"We didn't know how we'd do it without you…" Richard didn't bother to stand knowing that Cara would just be uncomfortable with too much affection from both of them. He let Kahlan be the one to crowd her today. An angry Mord'Sith wasn't something he liked to deal with ever but especially when he was tired. "Somehow we managed."

"I heard you dragged two unfortunate stragglers with you." Cara scanned the room for the newcomers. "I see you've already chased them away. Were you two making goggly eyes at each other? It probably made them nauseous…."

"No, no. I think that they had… things… to do." Kahlan blushed a little thinking about what John and Aeryn would actually be doing.

"So they wanted to have sex?" Cara shrugged and sat down helping herself to some food. "No need to be shy. I know what that is."

"Cara…" Kahlan went to sit with Richard again. She was lowering herself into her chair when his hands grabbed her by the hips and pulled her off balance landing her in his lap. She yelped in surprise as her bottom settled against his thighs.

"Hi." He nuzzled her neck right below her ear and held her so she couldn't wiggle free and reclaim her own chair.

Their foreheads touched and noses rubbed as his hand cupped her cheek.

"You guys need some time alone?" Cara snarked over a mouthful of food.

"Yes." Richard smirked. "But we're going to spend some time with you while you eat. Believe it or not we missed you and Zedd."

Cara just flashed them a smile. She planned to keep them there for as long as she could. A little torture never hurt anyone, much.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"This room is… "

"Incredible!" Aeryn flopped back onto the huge bed and spread her arms, her legs dangled over the edge and she kicked them back and forth, knocking her boots off as she swung her feet. They made a satisfying thunk as they landed somewhere away from the bed. A ticklish sensation spread across her belly and she reached down to capture John's hand, bringing it to her lips. "Why do you still have clothes on?"

"I don't know." The strip of skin exposed by her leather top riding up was irresistible. He ducked his head down and kissed her right above her belly button. The taste of her made him moan and his tongue snuck out to take in more of her sweet flavor. He could feel her muscles twitch under his lips. She let go of his hand so she could weave her fingers through his hair.

"Why do I still have clothes on?" Aeryn couldn't get a good hold of his short hair so she went to the buttons on her top, she'd start taking care of her own clothing problem. His nose kept bumping the hem and she was eager to let him have more access to her flesh. She didn't want to waste his time stripping her when his mouth was making it's way up towards her breasts. His focus needed to stay right where it was.

Once he started tasting her it was always hard to quit. She was like the most addicting drug in any universe. She was soft and smooth and sweet. His teeth would sneak out and nibble on her tender belly and ribs as he meandered up her body. His lips tickled and teased over her diaphragm letting his nose brush the undersides of her breasts as he swept his head back and forth. She'd been able to remove her top and sports bra while he was exploring his way upwards.

His mouth avoided the slight swells on her chest and moved between them instead. He wanted to wait and draw out her anticipation. She loved when he laved her nipples sucking them into his mouth. He straddled her thighs as he climbed onto the bed. His hands gripped her under the shoulders and pulled her all the way onto the mattress.

"That looks more comfortable." He just took a moment to look at her, admiring the way her breast were still perky despite the fact that she was laying on her back. Her nipples pointed proudly towards the sky and he ached to take them into his mouth. He slowly stroked her sides moving closer and closer to the swell of her breasts. He'd touch the edges and then retreat back down her ribs. Her back arched trying to entice him to touch her but he wouldn't be swayed.

The cool air and the teasing caresses caused her nipples to tighten even more. He couldn't resist any longer and his thumb touched the tip. A moan of satisfaction escaped her throat. His touch was light as a feather just grazing the end of the tight bud. The pebbling of the nipple sent blood rushing into his groin. The velvety feel of the nub against the pad of his thumb made him feel frenzied for her. He finally gave in and lowered his head taking one of her nipples into his mouth.

He started with his lips slipping them around the hardened peak and letting it slide right back out. He teased first one then the other this way before flicking the tip with his tongue. Just the very end with the tip of tongue. His hands slipped under her body, gripping her shoulders from behind. Her body was wriggling beneath him, begging his mouth to take more of her breast into it. He had to hold her still so he could continue to have his way with her. She was far too eager and he wasn't even close to being finished with the foreplay.

She wanted more and he was just barely touching her. Her hands went to his head and she tugged at him, trying to get him to suckle her. She needed him to do more with his mouth. The gentle licks and wet lips surrounding them wasn't enough. She needed hard pressure. She wanted him to used his teeth.

"More…" Aeryn begged him.

"So impatient, baby." He saw the grimace on her face as he laved the bottom of her nipples. He didn't want her too frustrated, she got angry and her energy was filtered through the wrong emotion. So he gave in to her begging and took her left nipple into his mouth. He sucked on her then. Hard.

She dug her nails into his scalp as he suckled on her. It was just what she needed. The wonderful pressure of his mouth. Then his teeth scraped along the pebbled peak as he let the tip of her breast slide free. The hurt was pleasurable. She was so sensitive on her breasts and he loved to tease them. She sometimes thought that she could come just from the the breast play but they'd never tried to go that far. He knew how to keep her right on the edge regardless.

He looked at the dusky rose areola which was glistening with his saliva, reddened and swollen from the suckling. He blew cool air across it watching it tighten even more before taking the opposite breast into his mouth. He opened as far as he could taking half of her breast in. John applied suction before lifting his head and letting it pop free. There was a red ring the shape of his mouth, nothing permanent, no matter how much it turned him on to mark her as his.

This nipple needed the same amount of attention as the other had received. He started much more aggressively knowing that she was on the edge of sensation. He nibbled and nipped at the areola, slowly circling the nipple. His nose bumped it affectionately as his mouth teased the surrounding flesh. Finally he couldn't stand the wait any longer and he began suckling the little nub. It felt good to rub the pebbled underside with his tongue. She must have agreed judging from the way she was straining to press against him.

Then he stopped. He was standing on the floor and she was lost in a wave of subsiding sensations. Her eyes, which had been squeezed shut, were open and searching for him. The blur of pleasure causing her to blink rapidly to see clearly.

"Where'd you go?" Her hand reached for him beaconing him to return.

"I'm removing my clothes…" He stripped off his shirt, boots and pants as fast as he could. "You were complaining that I was overdressed not long ago, if you recall."

"But your mouth was making up for it." She pouted at him and wiggled her fingers to get him to pay attention to her needs.

"In fact, You, sweetheart, are still overdressed." He was naked now, his clothes tossed aside, as he returned to the bed. His hands went to her thighs. They rubbed the leather clad legs up to her hips. His fingers made quick work of the snaps and zipper that rested above her sex. Wrapping his palms around her hips he yanked and the pants started to slip off. He made sure to trap her panties as well. No reason to make this take longer than it had to. He was as anxious as she was to feel the skin on skin contact.

"You're right."

"Let me get a pen and paper and record this moment…" The boney ankle that whacked him in the ribs made him think again before joking with her. "Watch the delicate equipment, honey, you don't want to miss and do permanent damage…" He looked down as his erection standing hard and tall against his belly.

"I don't miss."

Aeryn's confident smile made him grin. She was right, she didn't miss, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of saying it. He'd rather provide her with other means of satisfaction.

"What do you feel like tonight, baby?" He had them booth completely naked. The bed looked nice and comfortable so he climbed up and laid next to her.

"You look quite tired."

"No, I'm…" Her finger was on his lips, shushing him. She rolled to her side settled right up against him. Both of them sighed at the connection of their flesh.

"You. Look. Tired." She was up on her knees then. Her leg flung across his stomach. Her body, again, settled against his. This time chest to chest. Her dark hair fell around their heads as she leaned in to kiss him. His lips parted instantly and their tongues began a duel. She ground her hips against his abs, her curls tickling his belly. His hands were caressing her ass, squeezing and releasing in tempo with her.

He could feel the wet heat from her sex coating his stomach. Her mouth tasted divine but she had something more that he desired to sample. He took the opportunity when she came up for air. Both of them were panting from the kiss, his hands caught her off guard when he pulled her hips up towards his face. While he was moving her closer to his mouth he also twisted them around so they would be laying the correct direction on the bed. There was a handy headboard that she would most likely need for gripping.

"I love the way your mind works." He spoke the words and then positioned her hips over his mouth. The glistening moisture of her curls caught the firelight. He just looked on for a moment, inhaling the scent of her arousal. He loved the anticipation of tasting her. Every time he enjoyed her he couldn't get enough of her flavor. She was musky and sweet and salty and just Aeryn.

"I love the way your mouth works. Now get to it. I am looking forward to this orgasm." She tried to lower her sex to his mouth but he was expecting her to jump the gun and held fast.

"One day you'll learn patience."

"Not today, please."

"Ah, please, all you had to do was ask." His tongue snuck out then and took the first taste. One swipe along her labia. All it took for her to open for him was that one little lick. She was practically dripping on his chin already. He didn't want to waste any of it. His tongue ran along the other side the same and he heard her groan. It wasn't enough, he knew her body, she wanted more.

He wanted more.

His tongue began a slow rhythm of licking. Only the outer portions of her sex, right on the edge of the lower lips. He licked and licked at her his tongue parting her further every couple times but never encountering her clit and never entering her sheath, not yet. Her movements were getting harder to control, his arms were getting worn, soon he'd have to give her more.

He was done savoring it was time to feast. His tongue darted out further and he let her drop her hips some more. Now he was working all the way inside her slit. He tasted her directly from the source. His tongue would dip inside her sheath and drag out more juices, spreading them to her clit before taking them into his mouth and swallowing. He kept a steady pace sometimes thrusting his tongue in and out of her tunnel a few times in a row imitating the motion of his cock. He could feel her internal muscles try to hold him in, draw him deeper, but he could easily resist their pull at the moment.

"Frell!" She moaned. She kept trying to angle her clitoris closer to his lips. He was spending more time teasing. She didn't want teasing, not now, She wanted climax. She was teetering near the edge, but not near enough to tip over. His mouth on her while she kneeled over his face, knuckles white with the grip she held on the headboard, was her favorite.

"Such language."

She swore again and pressed back with her hips, finally, he gave in. Whether he was too tired form holding on to her wild movements or he was just being nice, it didn't matter. His tongue was licking her clit. Her climax was building faster. She could feel it starting in the pit of her stomach. The sweet burn of orgasm pooling between her legs. Every swipe of his talented tongue sent her closer to the precipice. He'd lick around the hard, tiny, nub and the tease the end, always backing off before she got to the plateau. She loved and hated how well he knew her body. She was hanging on his whim. When he wanted her to reach orgasm she would tumblr over the edge. He was in control of her.

She loved when he took control.

Just the thought of him being in charge sent a shiver of pleasure up her spine. Then his lips enclosed around her throbbing clit. Her suckled on it and his tongue flickered over the head quickly. She was gone.

She pushed her shoulders back and arched her back, grinding her hips into his mouth. He never let up, riding out the full orgasm with her clit between his lips. Her climax was powerful and she felt like jelly all over as it finished coursing through her body. She tried to slide down and roll off him, but nothing would listen to her so she flopped around until she found herself tucked into his side.

"Frell, that was so good." She looked up at him with sleepy, half lidded eyes. His mouth and chin were wet with her essence. The sight of him coated with her made her moan more. She leaned up, unsteadily, and kissed him. She could taste herself in the kiss. She enjoyed her flavor mixed with him.

Her kisses were sloppy. But he loved them, he'd made her that way. He could feel his own arousal between his legs. Eating her out always turned him on. The little noises she was making while cleaning her own juices off his face wasn't helping.

She kissed down his chin and caught a glimpse of his erection while trying to find a better angle to make sure she licked everything clean. She felt a renewed rush of arousal flood her.

"I want you inside me." She went to straddle his hips but her body still didn't want to listen to her commands, it only wanted to follow his orders.

"I thought that you'd never ask." John got to his knees and sat back on his heels. "Lay in front of me." She started to scoot in position and open her legs for him to slip between. But that wasn't what he wanted, not really. "On your knees, baby."

She thought about refusing, looked at him for a micron, and decided to let him keep his control. She rolled on her stomach first. His hands prevented her from rising to her knees. The two hands that he'd placed on each cheek of her ass. He was kneading and squeezing. His mouth touched the small of her back as his palms started to travel upwards. His thumbs pressed harder along her spine then his fingertips tickled the hurt away. As if her body needed to relax any more. She was already feeling sleepy from her first orgasm.

She felt the warm wetness of his tongue tracing the bumps of her spine. He was slowly moving to cover her body with his. When he got to her shoulders she felt him move to straddle her bottom as he smoothed all of her hair out of the way. His palms slipped across her upper back and over her shoulders.

His touch was light and airy. It was all about keeping her calm and happy. He didn't want to build her up too quickly. He loved the delicate feel of her skin. She was such a hardened soldier, tough and all business, but underneath she was soft. She showed him her womanliness and trusted him to keep her safe. He worshiped her body in return showing her how much he loved and appreciated her.

John's cock was resting against the swell of her ass as he played along her shoulders. The tip would rub against her skin every time he moved to change angles and it was driving him crazy. He didn't know how much longer he could hold off being inside her.

"Enough foreplay." Aeryn's voice sounded deeper than normal and she cleared her throat of all the sleepiness. "I just want to feel you inside me." She raised her butt and bumped him trying to get him to acquiesce with her request.

He smiled and kissed her neck then slunk back down. His knees were on either side of hers when he gave her a tug on her hips asking her to kneel up. She complied swiftly and he was presented with her backside. Her legs spread slightly and he reached to part her folds. With one hand he held her open while the other gripped his erection. He pushed forward and rubbed the head along her lower lips. The moisture eagerly coating his manhood.

His hips jerked foreword and he released the hold on his cock, just letting it slip through her folds, but not yet delving into her sheath. He thrust slowly, not wanting to be released from the light hold she had on him. He felt the hard nub of her clit on the sensitive head of his hardness and she'd jerk back and gasp every time he hit it. He could feel the juices starting to renew and drip from her body as he began to increase his speed.

"Never enough foreplay, baby, but I've got to have you now." He needed more, his body was straining. He reached between them and grasped his erection in his hand, aimed the head for her opening and thrust home. Her tunnel was hot and slick and offered no resistance to his invasion. She felt wonderful surrounding him, pulling him in with the fluttering and rippling of her internal muscles.

"Frell me. "

"I am." He pulled back and stroked home again, letting himself bottom out inside her and rest before slowly pulling almost all the way out. "God, baby, I am."

He didn't think maintaining the slow rhythm was conceivable for long. He was too hard and she was too tight. With every stroke she pressed back, his balls would swing forward and hit her clit. She'd let out a raspy cry and he'd feel an answering shudder wrack his body.

He increased the speed and frequency of his strokes. Soon he was constantly thrusting and retreating. Thrust, retreat. Thrust, retreat. She was moaning and wriggling under him. Her arms folded against the mattress and she used the angle to force herself harder against him.

The feeling was becoming too strong, he needed to help her. His hands had been on her hips, gripping like a life line, one of them released her and snaked around her waist. He found her little bud and started to circle it with his pointer. She cried out as he swiped the bundle of nerves with his finger, every stoke matching the rhythm his fingers had established.

She loved it, the feedback was immediate around his cock. Her muscles tightened and refused to let loose. He was pulling through a current that wouldn't give. It felt incredible. Her body was trying to deny him an exit. He took it over and over. Every retreat was like she was trying to pull his seed right from the root. She was milking him. The muscles were rippling over him and he could tell she was climbing quickly to climax number two.

"Take it, sweetheart. I need you to come so I can let go."

"Oh, Frell…"

John pressed hard on her clit and he slammed his manhood home and that was all she needed. She choked on his name, the sensation of the orgasm was so intense.

He wasn't far behind her. The sensational pleasure that being inside her provided him was like a siren call, he never could hold on long after that, today was no different. He plunged deep with in her and his hips jerked against her twice before he felt the hot burn of pleasure course from his balls up through his shaft finally emptying inside her. He sent so many ropes of semen into her body it felt like it was never ending.

He was sure he'd forgotten to breathe because when the orgasm subsided his lungs were on fire with the need for air. He sucked in rapid, deep breaths trying to get the burning to leave his chest.

She sent all his senses into flames.

"You're heavy, John." Aeryn tried to scoot out from under him, they'd collapsed in a heap after their climaxes. He groaned and rolled off her back. Her face was tipped the way he'd gone and he angled his mouth in to kiss her. A sweet kiss full of thanks.

"Sorry, baby, you turn me to a boneless heap after we make love."

"As long as one part of you regains it's hard structure I'm perfectly okay with that."

"Always thinking ahead, always."

He pulled her into his chest and rolled onto his back. He loved being her pillow. They didn't take long to fall asleep after Crichton covered them with the sheets to keep himself from losing too much heat and making sure she didn't overheat. Most nights she was all the blanket he required.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Kahlan heard the moans and gasps as she passed John and Aeryn's room on the way to hers. The palace wasn't quite as sound proof in her wing as she'd like it to be. Richard had left the table earlier claiming he had things to take care of before bed.

She heard a particularly satisfied groan and she paused. Her feet wouldn't move as she listened to their fervent cries. She was so focused on what she was hearing that the hands that snuck around her waist made her jump.

"Are you eavesdropping on them having sex, Kahlan Amnell?" Richard's teasing voice was right next to her ear.

"Uh…" She didn't know what to say. She was listening in on them. She didn't know how long he'd been behind her so she couldn't bluff her way out of it.

"It's okay. It sounds like they are having a good time. But why don't we leave them to it and head to our room?"

"We can make our own noises then?" Kahlan shyly turned her head to look at his expression.

"Yes, we can. Lets go." He gabbed for her hand and tugged her along after him. He didn't want her to become mesmerized by them again.

She paused for just a second and followed Richard. Her fingers weaved through his and she gave him a slight squeeze. Their suite wasn't far, they'd put John and Aeryn where they could be close, if the couple needed anything. They also found that they enjoyed spending time with them. Everyone got along well and the group just seemed to mesh. It was nice to have friends that were also a couple. She'd be sad when they left.

"I want to get married."

Richard made a strange face at her, wondering if she'd been hit on the head. They were going to get married.

"We are…"

Kahlan sighed and giggled. Silly man.

"No, right now." She stopped him and turned him towards her. "I don't want to be just Kahlan Amnell, Mother Confessor for one minute longer. I want to be your wife. I want to be Mrs. Rahl, although I'll probably have to keep Amnell, since confessors never take on their mates name."

"Mate… I'm going to be your husband."

She released the hold on his hand and brought her hands up to hold his face.

"My husband." She let the term roll off her tongue. It felt good and made her giddy. "Don't you want it right now? No more being apart. We'll be one."

"Yes." He mirrored her pose and held his palms gently against her neck, his thumbs swiping back and forth against the skin in front of her ears. "But, Kahlan, people are planning to come to our wedding. Everything is set. You want to just forget about all the planning that Zedd and Cara did?"

"I want to be your wife. I don't care about any of the pomp and circumstance. I want to be yours and for you to be mine." Her mouth opened and she licked her lips.

His eyes caught the movement of her tongue as it wet her lips. He invaded her personal bubble more, his mouth aiming for hers. Slowly, closing the distance between them.

"I want that." He whispered the words right before capturing her mouth with his. The kiss was hot but brief. Tongues touching gently before retreating. He sucked on her upper lip and then pulled back. "Why the sudden immediacy?"

"Being here, in Aydindril. Taking you to my bed. It just feels a little wrong when we aren't wed. I know that it's not, I've just been lectured here more and the old teachings seem to be instilled in me. Every step we take closer to that room I feel my stomach flopping around."

"I should make you wait." She started to protest so he kissed her again, silencing her attempt to argue. "You ruined my plans to keep you pure until we got here. Now you want to hold me off until we're wed."

"Which is why I want to marry you tonight. I can't deny these feelings. But I'd like to soothe my conscious. I don't want to ever feel guilt for making love to you."

"Okay, lets get married." Richard went with the simplest course of action. He didn't want any negative feelings with their intimacy either. He'd be happy to skip the large wedding in lieu of a private ceremony. He wanted to make love to her tonight in her bed. "Where do we have to go?"

She just smirked at him and motioned for him to follow her.

They weaved through multiple passageways all the walls looked the same to Richard. It would take him some time to get used to living here. This was his home now. He'd have to return to D'Hara at some point, but not without Kahlan. It would never be his home though. There had to be thousands of rooms. He wondered if she even knew what they were all for. They climbed a winding set of stairs and came upon a hall which held a single door. Kahlan smiled at him then knocked.

A small, old man answered the door a few minutes later, in his night dress.

"Mother Confessor." He bowed slightly before continuing to address her. "What do I owe this honor of you at my door?"

"Father Gernu, We want to get married."

"Now, child?" He looked at them and then down at his own attire. It would be a good story to share with his grandchildren, marrying the Mother Confessor to her Seeker while in his sleeping clothes.

"Yes, Father." Richard spoke for the first time. "Now would be good. The quicker the better."

He'd been planning on performing their ceremony in two weeks time. They'd arrived home more quickly than anyone anticipated so everything was already rushed ahead of schedule. He wondered what changed their minds or caused a panicked rush that she felt the need to wake him.

"Are you with child, Kahlan?"

She turned pink with the query. Looking everywhere but at the two men. This wasn't what she was expecting. She assumed that she could just make the demands, no questions asked, unfortunately her rule didn't effect the man who'd known her since she was a small girl. He'd helped her through many things throughout her life. She knew she'd feel shame from the look he'd give when she answered.

"Yes." Her voice was shaky, small and unsure, but she couldn't lie to that man or to the one beside her. Why did he have to ask that?

"What?" Richard's mouth was hanging open and he turned her towards him. Why hadn't she told him?

"I'm pregnant."

"How… We only… once and it was only days ago…" Richard was baffled at the turn of events.

"It seemed like you understood the 'How' just fine the other night, but…" Kahlan blushed, this wasn't something she really wanted to be discussing in front of the man who was in charge of the palace's religion. She grabbed Richard's elbow and stepped them back from Father Gernu. She asked him to give them a moment and he respectfully nodded and stepped back into his room.

"Yes.. No.. I… I mean how do you know already?" It was almost too much at once. He wasn't upset, it made him happy, but he wasn't expressing it properly. He could see that she was concerned. Her brow was wrinkled and a little frown marred her face.

"Are you upset?" She tried to draw in deep, calming breaths. She thought that he wanted children. What if he was angry at her for getting with child… Her eyes were welling with tears and she tried to blink them away.

"No, Kahlan, I'm not. I'm just confused. I'm sorry, love." He opened his arms to hold her and she fell into his embrace. "I want her. Are you happy?"

"Yes. Yes I want to have babies with you." His hands stroked her back as she wiped her tears on his chest.

"How do you already know?" Richard didn't know anyone could tell they were pregnant so quickly.

"Confessors just know. The next morning when we woke up I could feel the soft flutter in my belly. I knew that we'd made a child."

"Why didn't you…"

"Say anything?" She stood back from him then. He just nodded. His hand covering his mouth. "I didn't want to frighten you…"

"Kahlan…"

"I know, I know! I can tell you anything. But it was so new and… and I wasn't really sure. I've never been pregnant before. I had to be sure before I told you…"

They just looked at each other for a few beats. Her eyes told him that she was still afraid. Still worried that he wouldn't approve. She saw when his brown eyes began to light up and the smile touched his lips.

"We're having a baby?" He closed the distance between them as she nodded. "We're having a baby!"

She let herself smile. The tears were wet on her face as they fell. His thumbs wiped away every tear that streaked her face. His mouth began kissing the hurt away starting with each eyelid and working his way towards her mouth. The salty flavor of her tears made him thirsty for her. Finally her lips were right there. The velvety plumpness of her mouth called to him and he pressed his lips to hers.

She opened for him and took his lower lip in between hers. They kissed and kissed, their lips couldn't get enough of the others. Suddenly she found her back against the wall and his body pressing into hers. She moaned at the contrast of the cold stone on her back with his hot body against her front. She raised her leg and wrapped it around his hip pulling him closer to her. She could feel the beginnings of his arousal as her hips bucked up and her knee opened and closed around him.

The clearing of the pastor's throat was what broke them out of their passionate trance. If he hadn't poked his head back out his door when he heard the crashing he was sure they would have made love right outside his room. Clearly, they'd solved any problems that they'd had mere minutes ago.

"You two have a room." Kahlan hid her face in Richard's neck, embarrassed that she'd been caught. "You've also assaulted that plant that was minding it's own business beside the window."

Both of them looked to the floor next to them seeing the broken pot and soil spilled across the floor. Neither of them had heard the sound of it shattering.

"How did we miss that?" Richard asked Kahlan and she just looked from the plant to him to Father Gernu and shrugged her shoulders.

"You seem to have worked things out. Are my services still needed?" He'd changed into his service robes while they were talking in the hallway.

"Yes. We need to be married with all haste." Richard was the one insisting now. He'd have no one questioning the legitimacy of their daughter. Not that anyone would ever dare.

"You'll need a couple witnesses…" He watched them look at each other trying to figure out who to grab. "I'll meet you two in the chapel in a few minutes."

With that he headed back down the stairs to ready the little chapel in the Confessor Palace.

"Zedd and Cara?"

Kahlan smiled and nodded. Then she removed her leg from around his hip, but not before grinding her pelvis into his one last time.

"Lets get them so we can start our honeymoon." They rushed out of the hallway and took the servants route to the section of the palace that the wizard and the mord'sith were living in. It was much shorter to go that way instead of traversing all the halls and staircases of the wings.

Zedd and Cara were in the chapel when Richard and Kahlan finally arrived. They'd gone to tell them and then they went back to their suite to get ready. Richard had offered to help Kahlan with her dress but she'd refused knowing that if he took it off of her she'd never get the clean one on. Not in a timely manner, anyway.

He'd watched her primp and preen to his own detriment. He was already hard from the encounter in the hallway and the sight of her getting herself ready to become his wife didn't cool his ardor.

Kahlan smiled at him in the mirror, knowing that she wasn't helping him. But she was selfish and enjoyed making him wild with desire for her. She finished quickly at his urging and then they locked hands and walked to the chapel.

"Took you guys long enough…" Cara rolled her eyes as they entered the small room. There were a few rows of pews and a place for Father Gernu to give his sermon. "You disturb us from out night time duties and then make us wait."

"Oh Cara, they'll only be getting married once." Zedd stood up for them, proud that they were going to become one in the eyes of the Spirits.

"We talked about that and we still want to go through with the official wedding. It's a good reason for diplomats to come to the city and for everyone to celebrate." Kahlan looked at Richard and he grinned and nodded is agreement. "We just wanted it to be legally official for other reasons."

"She's got to be breeding…" Cara smirked and tilted her chin. Kahlan and Richard had the where with all to blush. Breeding indeed. "Oh, she is. Nice job, The Lord Rahl is quite powerful after all…"

"Cara. Enough." Richard's voice raised to scold her. "Can we do this?"

Everyone seemed in accord to beginning the impromptu ceremony. Richard and Kahlan walked up to the dais and Father Gernu began to read the invocations. They said their vows and Zedd handed them the rings. As she slipped his on his finger she began to tear up. Never in her life had Kahlan ever expected to be this happy. Now he was hers and she was his. Together. Forever.

The three witnesses applauded and the newlyweds kissed to seal the pronouncement that they were husband and wife. Everything was falling into place.

"Thank you, everyone, for being here. Now I'm going to take my wife to bed." Richard heard Cara hoot with laughter, saw Zedd have the decency to turn red and Father Gernu just shook his head, glad that they weren't going to consummate the marriage outside his room.

"Come, husband, lets turn in for the night." Kahlan led the way out as the Mother Confessor was used to doing in her palace. She was someone's wife now.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

There was little time wasted when they entered their room. Both of them quickly stripped out of their clothing and came together at the edge of the bed. Her large, comfortable, warm bed. He'd heard so much about this mecca of their love he could hardly wait to make it their bed.

Her arms embraced him, wrapping around his waist, palms against on his back, and pulled. Their chests touched first and her nipples hardened at the contact. His hard, muscular pectorals flattened her breasts as they moved closer to each other.

"You feel good in my arms, wife."

"I can tell, Mr. Amnell." Kahlan leaned in and captured his lips with hers. His mouth was opening to protest the name and she took advantage.

Her tongue flicked over his and he promptly forgot what he needed to complain about. She'd let her hair down when she took her clothes off and he ran his fingers though it. The strands were silky and soft he loved to use it to angle her just right to devour her mouth.

While they kissed he lifted her up onto the tall bed. She let go with her arms and instead held him to her with her legs. She could feel his hardness pressing to her sex and she arched her back to generate more contact. The kisses left her mouth and he went on to lick at her neck. Richard explored the tendon that held her head up and she moaned as he nibbled and sucked on her. She couldn't believe the intense need she was feeling to get him inside her.

"I want you in me. Now." Kahlan reached between them and tried to guide his cock into her opening. She rubbed the head along her lips and they parted for him, her slick core coating him with her juices as she moved him where she needed him.

"Are you sure you're ready?" He could feel how hot and wet she was, but he was afraid his mind was clouded with the overwhelming desire he had for her.

She didn't answer him. She used her legs to grip him and arched her back. The head of his cock slipped into her tunnel with ease. Both of them moaned as they joined together for the second time. It was almost more intense then the first coupling.

"Now we're truly one." Kahlan spoke only after he was fully sheathed inside of her. She hadn't wanted to interrupt the feeling in the moment of him slipping into her body. She laid back on the bed while he stood at the edge. He withdrew, just a little and then pumped back inside her. She gasped at the feeling and her internal muscles clamped around him, begging him to stay buried, if only for a moment.

He held still for a pause and then pulled out further. He slowly worked his way up to a full length stroke. The speed was slow and languid at first. He'd thrust all the way in and then rest a beat before sliding out. His tempo increased and he gripped her hips to help pull her body against his as he plunged into her. He wasn't going to last long. The sounds of their bodies meeting mixed with the heat surrounding him and her little grunts and groans were sending him barreling towards his climax.

"Touch yourself, Kahlan." He gasped the words all of his breath being used to pump the blood to his essential parts to make love to her. He could feel that she was getting pleasure from the penetration but she needed more to finish with him.

She didn't waste time, her hands had been gripping the bedding. One of them went to her clit instead. Her fingers parted her folds and she slipped her middle digit between them. She hissed with the first contact. The little nub was swollen with pleasure and the head was peaking out. The touch has almost been too powerful to start with. She backed off and began circling the base, gradually she worked in tight circular motions until she was able to graze the sensitive head.

Richard looked down at her hand, watching the precise motions that she used. She knew her body and she wanted to come. He could see that she was all business about it and he let himself increase the speed of their rhythm.

"I think I could come just watching you pleasure yourself." Richard choked out the words and her hand sped up with the suggestive comment. He was right on the edge of orgasm and could feel the gripping around his cock increasing. She was close. "Come, baby."

His words were a demand. She couldn't disappoint her husband. So she pressed down on her clit as he thrust into her. Again. The third time was perfection. Her body let go. Her magic flowed through her as her mind surrendered to the pleasure of his love.

As soon as he felt the first powerful ripple he stopped holding himself back. He yelped her name as he released his seed into her body. The only way the it could have been better was if they had created a child the night that they were married. He wasn't too picky since there was already a small life developing inside her. One that they'd created on their first night together.

The sensations finally slowed and he felt her legs drop on either side of him. Both of them were breathing heavily and Richard didn't know if his legs could hold him upright much longer. He let himself slip from her heat and crawled onto the bed. He flopped down on his side next to her. His hand slipped under her neck and cradled her head next to his. His other hand went to stroke her belly. The velvety soft skin that protected their child. It was still flat and smooth. He couldn't wait to watch it grow and for her to blossom into motherhood.

"You're a very good husband, so far."

"Better than I was at being a boyfriend?" He chuckled at her affirmative noise. "What makes me so much better now?"

"Sex. I was your… hmm… well I was yours for two years and it took almost the whole time I've known you for you to make love to me. I'm your wife for twenty minutes and I'm already sated and satisfied."

"Marriage. It's a good idea." He kissed her forehead. "Sleep is also a good idea. I was tired before, but you've exhausted me."

"Mmmm… yes. Sleep. In my nice big bed with my brand new husband. Sounds like perfection."

The morning sun leaked through the curtains and Aeryn grunted and snuggled her face deeper into John's shoulder. She didn't want to wake yet. Last night had been wonderful, exhausting, but wonderful. It had been far too long since they'd made love. She felt his fingers trailing along her naked back and it sent a shiver up her spine.

"Morning, sunshine." John's voice was raspy with it's first use for the day.

Aeryn just groaned and tried to find a way to fall back to sleep. She had no desire to rise yet.

"Go back to sleep…" She grabbed for the pillow and tried to put it over her head. She never used it since John was a much better surface for her head. But he wouldn't let her he tugged it back and tossed it to the floor. "John…" She growled is name.

"The maid was already in this morning to make sure we had heat from the fire. Apparently there was quite the excitement after we retired for the evening."

"What?" As if she cared much about the gossip in the palace. It was the same everywhere. The people with the lower ranks always spoke of the people with the higher command positions. She could see that it wasn't any different then Peacekeeper armadas.

"Seems that the Seeker and the Mother Confessor woke up the palace pastor late last night and insisted that he marry them…"

"Really… How very spontaneous of them both."

"Some other source apparently claims that she's pregnant." John moaned as she sat up quickly pushing the heel of her hand hard against his chest. "Oww, baby!"

"But… she… they… what?" Aeryn didn't understand how she could know. They'd only been together for the first time a few days ago. She hadn't known she was pregnant for weeks and her pregnancy was different.

"I don't know all the details, just what I heard this morning from the maid and the footman talking while they thought I was still sleeping." John grinned at her. Her bare breasts within reach as she kneeled in front of him pondering the workings of a Confessors body. He reached out and touched a nipple and she swiped his hand away. He frowned but didn't give up. His fingers went to dance along her belly instead. There was a little life in there as well, just waiting to be released.

"Lets go see them. And check on the module." Aeryn grabbed his hand and kissed each fingertip before slipping out of bed. "We've got too much to do this morning to play in here."

"You're no fun." He laughed at the glare she shot him.

"Be careful. I can go without for quite a long time." She pulled on her pants and boots. Her bra was quickly tugged on and her vest followed.

"You're also easy to convince. But we do have to see to that ship…" He huffed and threw back the covers revealing his morning erection.

"And you never need convincing." She smiled and tossed him his clothes.

"I'm a guy. I'm not stupid."

"And here I thought that was in the definition of 'guy'."

"Shush, you." He finished dressing and held out his arm to escort her to the breakfast room.

Their heads were close together and they were speaking softly to each other. Richard would take turns feeding her some fruit or bread and then take a bite for himself. It was clear to John and Aeryn that something was definitely new. Something had changed. They didn't even notice their arrival.

"You two had an interesting night if the gossip is to be trusted." Aeryn started it out. She saw them jump at the sound of her voice and she grinned.

"Define interesting." Richard drawled out waiting to see what the help below stairs was saying. He was sure that gossip would travel quickly, it was the accuracy of the staff here that he was interested in.

"Something about weddings and babies…" Aeryn raised her eyebrows.

"Seems that the palace gossip is right on."

Kahlan and Richard waited for their judgment, but both of them just congratulated them and went to grab food to eat.

"Zedd was in here earlier and your module is all ready to go." Kahlan happily conveyed the news. "He said that nothing is too hard for a Wizard of the First Order. Then mentioned some magical terms I have no understanding of. Apparently there was enough of the substance left in the tank for him to analyze and create a spell to make more or it. I knew he'd be able to figure it out."

"That's... incredible…" John looked over at Aeryn who just shrugged and shoved a piece of yellow fruit into her mouth. "I was thinking we'd have to help him so we got up early."

"Well Zedd is pretty self sufficient. I don't know how he does half the stuff he does." Richard just smiled at them and fed Kahlan some more food. "We can help you pack up and get the ship ready if you'd like?"

"I think that we can handle it?" He looked to Aeryn for her opinion.

"Yeah no need to help, but you are certainly welcome to keep us company. We're going to miss you two, but this isn't our home."

"It's completely understandable." Kahlan reached across the table and squeezed Aeryn's hand. "I'd want to go home if I was in your world as well."

"Come back to visit any time you'd like." Richard threw in to make it known that they were always welcome. "Perhaps one day we can visit you as well…"

"That might not be possible. Sometimes navigating back through a wormhole can be hard. I'm pretty good at remembering the way, but I wasn't the one flying this time. Aeryn was and she's not programed with the information like I am." John stood and collected all the empty plates, placing them on the side board.

All of them rose to their feet and Kahlan led the way out to where they'd set up the module.

Zedd and Cara were waiting. The mord'sith came over to them, seeing the invaders for the first time.

"So you two are the ones who fell from the sky and almost killed the Mother Confessor?"

"Yes. This is John and I'm Aeryn." She shook Cara's hand. The woman had an iron grip and a gleam in her eye that she didn't quite trust.

"Cara. Play nice." Kahlan warned her. "She's quite protective of us."

"It's understandable." John tugged Aeryn into his side so she wouldn't get too feisty with the woman in red leather. He didn't think that either of them needed to get into it. "Nice to meet you. We won't have much time to get to know you, but It's good that we aren't leaving them to fend for themselves."

"They have quite the time doing that. They like to think that they are capable, but I know better."

Kahlan and Richard exchanged a look, John and Aeryn could see that they indulged their friend and let her think that she was correct.

John and Aeryn walked to the ship and inspected the hull. They pulled off the large temporary wheels and set them off to the side.

"Everything looks set on the exterior." John unlatched the canopy and started flicking levers and switches. "She's fired up now. Looks easy to fly."

All of them looked between each other. No one really knew what the proper goodbye was. They didn't know if they'd ever meet again.

"It's been…" Kahlan searched for the right word.

"Interesting." Richard chimed in. Everyone laughed and agreed.

Kahlan got tears in her eyes and she couldn't hold back. She pulled Aeryn into a tight embrace.

"Thanks, for everything." She whispered in the woman's ear.

"You're welcome. You're a true friend." Aeryn didn't want to cry. She hated goodbyes. She disliked losing people she could count as friends. There weren't many of those in her life.

Kahlan hugged Crichton next and watched and Richard shook his hand and gave Aeryn a light hug. She saw the Peacekeeper wipe at her eyes, trying to hide her tears. They both pulled on the suits that they were wearing when they landed and the helmets followed.

They climbed in and John took the front this time. He was more familiar with a planet with similar atmosphere. They settled in and pulled the canopy down. It made a hiss as it sealed them into their own ship made environment.

Everyone on the ground backed up to the tree line and waved one last time. The ship rumbled as it fired it's engines. John and Aeryn were visible inside flipping more switches. Flames appeared behind the end and then they were gone.

Richard saw the tears break free from his wife's eyes. She really had grown to love them in such a short time together. He put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her to him.

"It's not over. We'll see them again. I can feel it."

"I hope you're right."

"Lets go celebrate our marriage. It will make you feel better."

"Is that a promise, husband?" Kahlan hugged his waist and leaned closer to his body.

"One I intend to remind you of often."

"I look forward to it. Very much."

THE END


End file.
